Beyond the Horizon - MidAmerica Nazarene University

Accent
MidAmerica Nazarene University
Beyond the Horizon
MNU’s global influence lights the world. 17
Global Impact 14
Homecoming 2011 18
Can a small, Christian university in the
Revisit the fun and flavor of the
Midwest have a global impact? MNU
celebration from barbecue to banquets,
points of light span the globe.
rock to big band, and football to fine arts.
Fall 2011
From the President
Table of Contents
Dr. James H. Diehl
While reading a book written by Dr. Donald S. Metz, MidAmerica Nazarene College — The Pioneer
Years, I was intrigued with the chapter title, “Circling the Wagons.” Dr. Metz told of financial stress,
student enrollment decline, and an apparent decline in morale on both the campus and the
educational zone occurring in the early 1980s.
The MNU Experience
MNU student Steffani Burks
conducts unique research
I put the book down and asked out loud, “How current does that sound? Like 2011?” We have faced
our current challenges before. The question is, “What do we do now to rise above them?”
God has led me to several scriptural truths for MidAmerica Nazarene University for these specific
days. One of those scriptures is from Isaiah 43:16-19, “Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in
the sea and a path through the mighty waters. Who brings forth the chariot and horse, the army
and the power . . . Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I
will do a new thing. Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the
wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
There are many powerful truths in this scriptural account, but allow me to share just two:
1)
Don’t live life looking backward (or, don’t live your life looking in the rear view mirror!). Isaiah had just recounted the greatest miracle in
Jewish history (the crossing of the Red Sea). Then his next words were “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old.”
Concerning our past at MNU, Isaiah would say, “Remember . . . rejoice . . . respect . . . then look forward!”
2)
God has something fresh, something new ready to spring forth! “Behold, I will do a new thing (for you) . . . I will even make a road in the
wilderness (for you), and rivers in the desert (for you).” I totally believe God is creating something fresh, something new for MNU and it is “A
DAY OF NEW BEGINNINGS.”
2012 Passion to Serve
→→ Many new spiritual victories will be won
→→ A fresh, new vision will spring forth
→→ Many more returning students have come and God has something
fresh and new for them as well
→→ New students have come to campus whose lives will be changed
forever
→→ In other words, our future is brighter than our past!
I have attended five constituent forums in which everyone was given an opportunity to add input to the presidential search process. One question
asked by our facilitator was, “What is good about MidAmerica Nazarene University?” For the sake of space, I have condensed the many answers
down to eight.
1)
Our Christian values
5)
Quality relationships are formed here that last a lifetime
2)
Servant Christian leadership is taught and modeled here
6)
Our athletic teams are winners
3)
The location (at the crossroads of America)
7)
Our alumni have become national and international leaders
4)
Our attractive campus
8)
Our faculty, administrators, and staff are the best
Because of these truths (and dozens more), I have become a believer. It is A DAY OF NEW BEGINNINGS!
God is bringing forth something fresh and new at MNU. It is already happening! Become a believer with me!
James H. Diehl
Interim President
Archives 2.0
04
Contributing Editor
Kim (Suderman '05) Campbell
Contributors
April (Loomis '92) Hansen
Rachel Phelps ('09)
02 Accent Magazine / Fall 2011
Art and Design
Josh Klekamp ('10)
Kelly Lawler ('11)
Photographers
McKenzi Foster ('12)
Jen Christenson ('07)
Jim Smith
Accent is published by MidAmerica
Nazarene University and mailed free to
alumni, friends and supporters of MNU. It
is produced for University Advancement by
the MNU Marketing and Communications
Office. Postage is paid at Olathe, Kan., and
additional mailing offices.
News or comments: [email protected]
08
The Marge Smith Archives
modernized with Johnson County
Grant
16
Why I Teach
10
Profile on marketing professor
Lisa Wallentine
Global Impact
14
MNU influences international
organizations through its widespread alumni and students.
We're Not [Just] in
Kansas Anymore
21
17
Can a small Midwestern university
have Global Impact?
25
Homecoming Photos
18
Pioneer Volleyball
21
Enjoying their best season ever
Pioneers are No. 2 seed for
tournament
On The Cover
MNU chaplain and vice president for
community formation Dr. Randy Beckum,
with current MNU students on the campus
mall at night. Their lights represent the
lives of MNU alumni and students across
the globe.
Of Note
24
Alumni receive accolades
Find us online at www.mnu.edu/accent.
Volume 35, Number 2
Managing Editor
Carol (Knight '81, MA '08) Best
07
MNU students raise funds to assist
Kansas City Urban Youth Center
A Day of New Beginnings
→→ A new president is being prepared by God for MNU
04
Helpful Links
Stay Connected
Articles
www.mnu.edu/alumni
www.mnu.edu/give
www.mnu.edu/student-referral
(Undergrad)
www.mnu.edu/referral
(Grad & Adult)
02
06
13
20
22
24
04
10
14
17
18
President’s Message
Campus News
Faculty News
Athletics
Advancing MNU
Alumni News
The MNU Experience
Why I Teach
Global Impact
We're Not In (Just) Kansas Anymore
Homecoming
03 Accent Magazine / Fall 2011
Article
Title
The MNU
Experience
the control group. The work takes 15 to 20
hours a week.
“It takes a certain caliber of student. They
have to be dedicated,” Taylor says. “This
isn’t as simple as me telling Steffani to go
to the lab and do steps A, B and C. She is
responsible for coming up with steps A, B
and C, and D and E, if needed.”
All MNU students take a course in research,
but those who choose can conduct
individual projects. Burks, who took the
MCAT in the spring and hopes to become
a pediatrician, says she has been looking
forward to the experience of specialized
research since her freshman year.
“It’s exciting to realize how much research
there is left to do in this field,” she says.
Her research has already yielded new
insights.
“When exposed to red light Myxo changes
color almost as remarkably as with the
blue light,” Burks says. “At this point it
seems that it might be causing the Myxo to
grow and move faster.”
biology major’s senior
year is an intense learning
experience, but MNU’s
Steffani Burks is voluntarily
adding hours to her weekly
work load. The senior from Marshfield,
Mo., is conducting innovative research
on Myxococcus xanthus, a bacteria found
in soil, under the direction of biology
professor Dr. Rion Taylor.
“This project is a part of a new direction for our department,”
says Taylor. “One of the administration’s goals is to offer
students the opportunity to see science in action.”
“This project is a part of a new direction for
our department,” says Taylor. “One of the
administration’s goals is to offer students
the opportunity to see science in action.”
Myxo, as the bacteria is called, is nonpathogenic (not harmful to humans).
04 Accent Magazine / fall 2011
According to Taylor, it’s considered
a “model organism” because of its
similarities to other bacteria. Findings
about Myxo can be applied to harmful
bacteria. In reviewing existing research,
Burks found that researchers proved
the bacteria slows its growth and
changes color when exposed to blue light
wavelengths. She could not however, find
any research on what Myxo does when
exposed to other wavelengths. Interested
in this gap, she proposed the research idea
to Taylor.
This observation runs opposite to the
bacteria’s reaction to blue light, presenting
opportunities for new hypotheses and
possible applications. Myxo is already
known to consume E. Coli and is being
tested as a natural fungicide. Improved
understanding of Myxo may also apply to
anti-cancer medications. Research like
Burks’ uncovers the basic mechanisms
that impact Myxo’s behavior. Taylor says
medical schools look for this type of “pure
science” work in undergraduates.
“Physicians not only need to know how
to conduct research, but also know
how to identify and interpret what other
researchers have done for the public,”
Taylor says.
Burks’ research will continue until she
graduates, and probably beyond that,
Taylor says, who expects another student
to take up the project when Burks leaves
MNU. For now, though, Burks is focused on
her senior year.
After confirming previous research, Burks
conducted experiments to discover what
happened to Myxo with red, black and
ambient (white) light; using darkness for
05 Accent Magazine / fall 2011
Article
Campus Title
News
Campus News
MSN Goes Online
Joining the ranks of eight other online
programs at MNU, the Master of Science in
Nursing program will begin offering online
courses in January 2012, allowing students
to complete an MSN degree in one to two
years. Chair of Graduate Studies in Nursing
Dr. Karen Wiegman says adding the online
format is a response to the number of
top-level nursing positions that require
master’s-prepared nurses.
CSI and House
Science Camps
Each summer MNU athletic coaches offer
sports camps for elementary through high
school age students on the MNU campus.
This summer the department of math and
science jumped into the fun with their own
version of summer camp.
More than 20 area high school teachers
from Olathe, Spring Hill, and Osawatomie,
Kan., brought over 120 science students
to the science camp. The six, one-day
camps provided students full access to
MNU’s biology, chemistry and forensic lab
facilities as they solved mysteries like the
ones seen on major TV dramas like House
and CSI. The Science of House: Solving
Medical Mysteries and The Science of CSI:
Solving Chemical Mysteries were offered
at no cost due to a five-year Teacher
Quality Preparation grant funded by the
U.S. Department of Education.
Kris Kennedy, RN, an Olathe North
teacher in the CMS First Responder
Program, says her students loved the
camp.
On-site MSN classes will continue and
students can mix the two formats of
courses in their program.
Some of the 50 Team MNU members at the Jared
Coones Memorial Pumpkin Run on Oct. 13, 2011.
MNU Sponsors Area Events
Partnering with quality local organizations
to reach like-minded constituents, MNU
engaged in several strategic sponsorships
this summer and fall.
events provided promotional opportunities
commensurate with the sponsorship
investment, according to MNU marketing
strategist Kim Campbell.
Rock the Light, a three-day Christian
music festival near Kansas City, the
Johnson County NAACP Freedom Fund
Gala, a scholarship benefit, and the Jared
Coones Memorial Pumpkin Run to benefit
cancer research were chosen based on
the potential to reach a large number of
participants, the individual cause, and their
fit with MNU’s mission. In each case, these
“This is another way we live out our
passion to serve,” says Campbell. “In each
case members of the MNU community
assist with the event and help the
community. In turn this promotes MNU
as a great community partner and in the
process increases awareness about our
university and its programs.”
“The kids have been mesmerized,” she
states. “They’ve been into it since 8 a.m.
this morning and now its 3 p.m. and they
haven’t lost interest. They love seeing the
four-year university experience, too,” she
added.
Numbers
Show
5%
Increase
MNU total headcount for fall 2011 is
1,848, representing an increase of
nearly 5% over last fall. Graduate and
adult studies enrollment is also up
by 30%.
06 Accent Magazine / Fall 2011
“We’re striving to meet that need,”
Wiegman says. “Online courses are more
convenient for a number of students.”
Warren Rogers, MNU director of
admissions, has coined the mantra “Own
the Backyard” in his effort to increase
awareness about MNU among high school
students and parents. The idea is simple.
Rogers says to make a bigger impact in
the MNU region, the university should first
seek to own its backyard, meaning to get
involved with nearby programs to raise
MNU's visibility. Beginning with Olathe,
promotional efforts then extend to the
Kansas City Metro and eventually beyond.
KCUYC offers after-school academic
tutoring, literacy training, daily physical
fitness classes and other healthy activities
for youth at three sites in Kansas City, Mo.,
and Kansas City, Kan.
“We’ve had a long relationship with
them,” says Raelyn Koop of the MNU
ServiceCorps. “We know they’re well-run
and make a difference in the community.”
From left, Graduate and Adult Studies personnel: Julie
Hiett, assistant admissions coordinator, Steve Longley,
Liberty site director and Chaplain, and Nicole Hodge,
admissions coordinator at the Liberty campus.
Liberty Classes Move to
New Site
MNU’s site for graduate and adult
programs in Liberty, Mo., is moving to a
new location in Liberty in January. The
new site is in a highly visible, well-traveled
and accessible location at I-35 and 152
highway. The new office and classroom
space occupies the second floor of the M&I
Bank building.
Passion to Serve
MNU's third annual Passion to Serve
project is for the Kansas City Urban Youth
Center.
The financial goal this year is to raise
$40,000 to be divided between space
renovation, transportation, and staff
development needs. The Rosedale Ridge
KCUYC site currently has space and staff to
serve around 30 students, but the site has
300 students needing services. The funds
will go toward renovating the center and
paying for extra staff, as well as playground
equipment and vans for field trips. MNU
ServiceCorps also plans to donate 2,000
– 2,500 volunteer hours, 240 books and at
least 75 uniforms to the organization.
“Rock the Light is a great example,” Rogers
says. “We gained nearly 300 new names
of people who want more information
about MNU. Not only were we supporting
an event that provides quality Christian
worship and entertainment, but as a result
we have a new audience for the story of the
MNU Experience."
The idea of organizations partnering
to provide mutual benefits is not new.
The Cone Cause Evolution Study, a 17year study of cause branding, explores
consumer attitudes and expectations.
Cone’s 2010 results show that 83 percent
of Americans want more of the products,
services and retailers they use to support
causes.
About 30 MNU students go to the KCUYC
weekly to work as mentors. Koop says she
also hopes more students will become
involved through Passion to Serve.
“That was a big reason to choose a local
project, so students can do more than
fundraise,” Koop says.
MNU students and friends raised more
than $50,000 in 2009-2010 for a health
clinic in Guatemala, and more than $35,000
in 2010-2011 for an orphan care center in
Kenya. The students continue to use $2
Twosdays, in which students bring $2 each
week to Tuesday chapel services, as one of
their main fundraisers for the project.
To donate to Passion to Serve, call the
ServiceCorps office at 913.971.3542, or visit
www.mnu.edu/give-online and specify
Urban Youth Ministry.
07 Accent Magazine / fall 2011
Campus News
Campus News
School of Nursing and
Health Science Seeks
Accreditation by CCNE
Library Archives
Modernized and Renovated
The nursing program at MidAmerica
Nazarene University was granted approval
by the Kansas State Board of Nursing in
1979, accredited by the National League
for Nursing Accrediting Commission from
April 1981 through 2003, and accreditation
by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing
Education (CCNE), the accrediting arm of
the Association of Colleges of Nursing,
began in 2002. As part of the process of
receiving continued accreditation by CCNE,
a survey visit will be conducted April 2 to
4, 2012.
Janet Halvorson, Lon Dagley, Marge Smith and Blake Smith at the
Archives Ribbon Cutting.
Thanks to a 2009 grant of $10,271 awarded
to the Marge Smith Archives at MNU by
the Johnson County Heritage Trust Fund
and the Board of County Commissioners,
renovation of the archives was celebrated
during a grand re-opening event at
Homecoming.
same source. The new grant will be
used to digitize the holdings of the paper
documents in the archives.
The 18-month Marge Smith Archives
Collection Preservation and Enhancement
Project brought the collection up to
archival-quality standards for the longterm preservation of materials deemed
historically significant to MNU, Olathe and
the Johnson County community. Much of
the collection had not been displayed due
to lack of space and lack of conservation
quality materials. Now the archives have
the capacity and organization to host
scholars working on research projects
because materials are sorted, catalogued,
preserved, and stored for longevity; as
well as to provide public access to this
historically significant resource.
The Dobson Bible Collection includes 40
Bibles, some in foreign languages and
Braille. The MNU collection consists of
items documenting the early years of the
university through the present. The Donald
S. Metz Rare Book Room contains nearly
8,000 volumes, and the Vennard College
Collection documents a now closed Iowa
college. As a whole, the Marge Smith
Archives give insight to the Midwestern
values that spawned two small, private
universities as well as the associated
growth of the communities surrounding
them.
Recently the university learned it will
receive an additional $11,000 from the
08 Accent Magazine / Fall 2011
Named for the wife of the university’s first
president, the archives hold four primary
collections.
Marge Smith, 92, is thrilled with the
makeover and thinks project director, Lon
Dagley, computer services librarian and a
trained archivist, has achieved what she
always hoped for the collection. The idea
for the archives came as advice to Smith
from her brother in 1966 after her husband
was appointed president of the yet-to-bebuilt college.
“He said you better get started collecting
everything, because if you put it off you
can’t catch up,” she says. “We did it the
hard way then, just stacking papers and
[items].”
Three times over 40 years Smith
fundraised for the archives to add shelving
and display cases.
She is grateful to the Johnson County
Heritage Trust Fund and Board of County
Commissioners for this latest infusion of
funding to help preserve the collection.
“It’s so nice of them to acknowledge
that this collection is precious [to the
community] and should be preserved.”
CCNE invites the public to submit, in
writing, signed comments concerning the
program’s qualifications for accreditation
status. Signed comments must be received
by CCNE no later than Feb. 1, 2012, for
consideration of the evaluation process.
CCNE shares comments with members
of the evaluation team prior to the April
visit, but at no time during the review
process are these comments shared with
the program. Comments may be sent
to: Commission on Collegiate Nursing
Education, One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite
530, Washington, DC 20036-1120.
MNU Receives
International
Collection of Texts
MNU is one of only 150 institutions
worldwide to receive an in-kind grant
of 224 volumes from the International
Society of Science and Religion
Library Project (ISSR) at St. Edmunds
College, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
According to the ISSR, the collection is
a remarkable ‘core’ group of books on
science and spirituality from many
Vs.
MNU met sister school Southern Nazarene University for battle on the gridiron in Wichita, Kan, Oct 15. MNU won
the match up 41-17.
PERK Grant Results
The School of Education & Counseling
hosted a Summer Literacy Institute this
summer in Garden City, Kan., featuring
nationally known literacy consultant Dr.
Steven Layne.
Attended by more than 80 Kansas
educators and covering content from
grades K-12, the workshop included
topics in classroom technology, literacy,
and special topics in mathematics and
science.
Funding for the event came from the
PERK Program (Preparing Educators
for Rural Kansas). Funded by the U.S.
Department of Education, this five-year
Teacher Quality Preparation (TQP) grant
awarded to MNU in 2009, affords MNU
faculty the opportunity to research,
perspectives. They include the sciences,
social sciences, history, philosophy and
the environment.
The ISSR reviewed MNU’s grant
application under a competitive judging
process. ISSR executive editor and
project manager Pranab Das called MNU
an “interesting and productive center of
learning.” MNU approaches the study of
religion and science as complementary
disciplines making this collection
particularly useful to a diverse group of
scholars.
create and implement new and innovative
processes that support the advancement
of education in rural Kansas.
The PERK Grant has also provided an
increase in technology integration for
faculty and students at MNU, including
iPads in the Research and Differentiated
Learning class and ongoing Smartboard
and web resource training for faculty. The
grant also made possible a new distance
learning course in higher-level math. The
on-campus course will also be available
through online lecture to students at
Dodge City, Garden City and Seward
County Community Colleges.
For updates on the PERK Grant, visit
www.mnu.edu/perkgrant.
MNU recently revised its undergraduate
studies general core curriculum and
is considering the development of a
worldview signature course, providing
greater opportunities for interdisciplinary
collaboration and scholarship making
this grant particularly timely. The
collection is expected to have a
significant impact in the graduate culture
and interdisciplinary nature of instruction
at MNU.
09 Accent Magazine / Fall 2011
Faculty News
Why I teach
Whether it’s creating a marketing campaign for a
non-profit start up or teaching a class on research,
marketing expert Lisa Wallentine loves her job.
“I work with the greatest people – my
students,” says Lisa (Leslie '94) Wallentine,
associate professor of business. “I love
helping them learn that marketing is an
extremely powerful tool and showing them
how to use it for good – to help people and
organizations.”
Wallentine, who came to MNU as an adjunct
professor in 2000 and became a full-time
faculty member in 2003, says her job can
be difficult because marketing is constantly
changing. She enjoys the challenge,
however, because it drives her to stay
current with the latest trends and convey
them to her students.
“I feel a definite calling to Christian higher
education. I feel the Lord has given me the
gift of being able to take complex material
and present it in a way that relates to college
students,” Wallentine says.
Wallentine’s talents have not been isolated
to the undergraduate classroom. She has
taught in the Master of Arts program at
MNU, served on the accreditation committee
and conducted internal and external
marketing research. Leading a re-branding
campaign and serving as the interim
associate vice president of marketing,
Wallentine says she is glad to use her
talents to help the university as needed, but
her passion is for her students.
“I remember what a pivotal time college
was for me, and how much my professors
10 Accent Magazine / Fall 2011
impacted me. I want to do that for my
students,” she says. “I also learn from
them.”
Students have high praise for Wallentine.
Senior marketing major McKenzi Foster
says she is one of her all-time favorite
professors.
“She is an extremely effective teacher who
is incredibly knowledgeable and seems to
of the semester with completed projects and
presentations.
“It always feels good to get to that end
point,” says Wallentine.
Also important is the depth of the
relationships Wallentine builds with her
students over the course of their academic
careers.
“I work with the greatest people – my students,” says Lisa
Wallentine, associate professor of business. “I love helping them
learn that marketing is an extremely powerful tool and showing
them how to use it for good – to help people and organizations.”
know just about everything in every subject,”
Foster says. “Her classes gave me a sense
of direction for my major and career path, as
well as purpose for continuing my education.
She is a huge asset to MNU.”
“When they are here, they are my students.
But, after they graduate, they are my friends.
I love watching them take on exciting
new careers, raise families and more,”
Wallentine says.
Part of Wallentine’s pleasure in teaching
comes from experiencing the entire
academic journey with her students. She
loves the variation of the academic schedule
through the year. Though each day presents
its own unique experience, she outlines the
semester in three stages: excitement and
expectation at the beginning, increased
depth of learning through the middle, and
the culmination of the classwork at the end
The most fulfilling aspect of the job for her is
watching students achieve their best.
“I love having a student as a freshman or
sophomore and watching the changes that
occur while they are here all the way through
graduation,” says Wallentine. “The maturity
and growth and learning is amazing. I am
blessed to be a part of that transformation.”
What Kind of a Legacy
Will You Leave?
A little planning can make a difference.
A well-designed estate plan expresses your values and your vision. It provides
the easiest and most tangible way to leave a legacy by addressing the needs of
your loved ones and investing in the lives of MNU students for years to come.
Consider the following ways of making a bequest and expressing your faith in the future of MNU:
→
→
→
→
Name MNU as a beneficiary in your will or trust after gifts to others
Name MNU as full or partial beneficiary of a life insurance policy
Name MNU as a full or partial beneficiary of your IRA, 401(K), or other retirement plans
Name MNU as a full or partial beneficiary on your bank or investment account
If you already have included MNU in your estate plan,
please contact us so we can welcome you to the Cornerstone Society.
For more information on creating a lasting legacy at MNU:
877.496.8668
[email protected]
www.mnugiving.org
DEGREE COMPLETION PROGRAMS
Accelerated Associate of Arts
B.A. in Business Administration
B.A. in Management and Human Relations
B.A. in Public Administration
RN to BSN
Accelerated BSN
GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Master of Arts
M.A. in Business Administration
M.A. in Counseling
Master of Education
Master of Science in Nursing
WHERE LIFE MEETS
PURPOSE.
MNU.
POST-GRADUATE CERTIFICATIONS
Play Therapy
Sexual Addictions Treatment Provider
Faculty News
Presented
Mark Hayse, PhD ('83), professor of
Christian education, gave presentations on
a variety of topics, including youth culture
and diversity at three conferences this
summer. He was also tapped by Nazarene
Youth International to design a board game
playing space at Nazarene Youth Congress
this summer in Louisville, Ky. The goal was
to provide opportunities for cooperation,
problem-solving, and imagination by playing
board and card games.
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
Accounting
Art*
Athletic Training
Bible & Theology
Biology
Biology Education
Broadcasting*
Business Administration
Business Psychology
Chemistry
Coaching*
Corporate Communication
Criminal Justice
Elementary Education
English
English Language Arts Education
Forensic Biology
Forensic Chemistry
Graphic Design
History
History & Government Education
Information Systems*
Intercultural Studies
Kinesiology
Legal Studies*
Marketing
Mathematics
Mathematics Education
Ministry
Multimedia
Music- Applied Pedagogy
Music- Ministry
Music- Performance
Music Education
Nursing
Organizational Leadership
Physical Education
Political Science*
Psychology
Social Justice*
Sociology
Speech/Theatre Education
Sports Management
Theatre*
Urban Ministry*
Youth & Family Ministry
*Denotes minor only
Published
Todd Frye, PhD, professor of counseling,
and Todd Bowman, PhD, associate
professor of counseling, are becoming
expert media resources. Both have
recently been interviewed by several media
outlets, including two national magazines,
about MNU’s new Sexual Addictions
Treatment Provider Certification program.
Subscribers to Holiness Today can read an
article by Frye and Bowman on the subject
in the Jan. /Feb. 2012 issue.
Bowman is also quoted in an August 2011
article in the Kansas City Star about the
issues involved in pornography addiction
which featured MNU alum Justen Wack
(’06), founder of Saavi Accountability. Saavi
software tracks media usage and alerts
Accomplished
Rebeca Chow, LCPC, LPC, RPT-S,
assistant professor of play therapy, is
the 2011 recipient of the Association for
Play Therapy Key Award for Professional
Education & Training.
Mary Fry, LCPC, RPT-S, associate
professor of counseling, is now
chairman of the Board of Directors for the
Association for Play Therapy, a national
professional society promoting the value
of play, play therapy, and credentialed play
therapists.
PRE-PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS
Chiropractic
Dentistry
Engineering
Law
Medicine
Occupational Therapy
Pharmacy
Physical Therapy
WEB www.mnu.edu
PHONE 913.782.3750
ADDRESS 2030 East College Way Olathe KS 66062
“In today’s world of digitally-mediated
relationships, it’s more important than ever
before that we sit together, talk together,
and play together,” Hayse says.
John Leavitt, DMA, professor of music,
conducted an interdenominational choir
workshop for church musicians at MNU
this fall. The workshop was sponsored by
the St. John’s College Alumni Association,
Winfield, Kan., and Beautiful Savior
Lutheran Church, Olathe, Kan.
accountability partners who help those
with addictions. The article mentioned
MNU’s new program, the first of its kind at
a faith-based university.
Verla Powers, EdD,
professor emeritus of
education, authored
a novel recently
published by Tate
Publishing Company
& Enterprises. Child
of Desire was inspired
by stories about the
strength and courage
of people who not only survived the Great
Depression, but did so while maintaining
Jo Lamar, EdD, professor of education,
received the 2010-2011 Junior
Achievement Teacher of the Year Award
from Junior Achievement of Middle
America. Lamar requires her teacher
candidates to volunteer as J.A. teachers
and says, “My students' reflection papers
and course evaluations are always full
of positive feedback about the great J.A.
teaching experience and the excellent J.A.
curriculum.”
Johne Richardson, adjunct instructor
in art, had a showing of his latest works
Jim Edlin, PhD ('72), professor of Biblical
literature and languages, presented
a workshop at the Kansas City District
Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries
Convention on August 3 entitled, "How We
Got Our Bible." Edlin is also published in
the 2011 September-November quarterly
Adult Faith Connections published by
Nazarene Publishing House.
Want more?
Visit www.mnu.edu/accent/more
a strong, independent spirit. The novel is
available at www.tatepublishing.com and
on Amazon.com.
David Smart, adjunct
instructor in guitar,
has published “Return
to the River,” his
latest CD featuring
contemporary worship
and praise songs as well as two selfcomposed titles: “Praise, Praise, Praise”
and “The River.” His CDs are available
through CDBaby, iTunes and Barnes &
Noble.
at the Coutts Museum of Art in El
Dorado, Kan. this fall. See his work at
johnerichardson.squarespace.com.
Yorton Clark, EdD, professor of business,
was one of four project managers for
ABC’s Extreme Home Makeover in Ottawa,
Kan. this summer. His story was picked up
by several media outlets. Visit the following
URL to read about it in the Johnson
County Sun: www.kccommunitynews.
com/johnson-county-sun-communityliving/28740187/detail.html.
13 Accent Magazine / Fall 2011
Belgium
Seven MNU students and professor Yorton Clark,
EdD, traveled to Veritas Sighisoara, a non-profit family
center in the Transylvania region of Romania last
summer for cross-cultural study and assistance to
the underserved of that region. The Romanian staff
at Veritas partners with Christian volunteers from
across the globe to provide a kid’s club for Roma
(Gypsy) children, elderly clubs and home visits, special
needs programs, and a domestic violence program,
among other services. MNU senior accounting major
Stephen Wessels will never forget the experience.
Held at Mons University in Mons, Belgium, the conference brought
together international researchers, teachers and professors. McVicker
will begin collaborating with a Swedish professor who conducts similar
research as a result of giving her presentation.
Haiti
Two years ago Mac Gouin (’10)
led an effort to send aid to the
people of Haiti. Now alumnus Josh
Jakobitz (’06) works in Haiti as the
field director for Heart to Heart
International.
Philippines
Romania
Claudia McVicker, PhD, associate professor of language & literacy,
presented her research on reading at two international conferences
this summer. At the International Reading Association’s 17th European
Conference on Reading Literacy and Diversity, McVicker presented the
findings of 10 years of research regarding young children’s universal
response to literature.
“I will have the friendships I made there for the rest
of my life,” Wessels states.
Arizona
Sun Valley Indian School, a Navajo
boarding school, partners with
MNU for mission trips and allows
their students to visit MNU.
South Korea
More than 20 MNU
alumni and current
students are living
and working in South
Korea as English
teachers.
Josh (’00) and Sarah
(Messamer ’01)
Broward pastor an
international church
there.
South America
Dr. Christian Sarmiento (’80) serves as the
regional director for South America for the
Church of the Nazarene.
Ecuador
Rev. Dwight ('75) and Carolyn (Fraizer '81) Rich, Quito,
Ecuador. Dwight is the field strategy coordinator for the
South American North Andean Field which comprises
the countries of Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela.
Bulgaria
Jay (’90) and Teanna (Matz ’91) Sunberg are long-time missionaries in
Eastern Europe.
WHERE DO YOU SERVE?
150 countries and counting…
The alumni, students and professors mentioned in this article are just some of the individuals living, working and
interacting with others around the globe. Let’s keep it going! Update us at Accent so we can have an accurate list
of where MNU alumni and friends are serving, working and living. The latest count is 150 countries that MNU has
touched. Email us at [email protected] to share your story!
Mark Hayse, PhD (’83),
professor of Christian education
and Todd Frye, PhD, professor
of counseling, presented several
workshops on the impact of
sexual addictions on personal
and spiritual matters at the 2011
Missional Leaders' Conference
for the Asia Pacific region Church
of the Nazarene in Manila,
Philippines, in October 2011.
MNU has become a recognized
leader in training treatment
providers for those with sexual
addictions, by starting the
nation’s first faith-based training
program at a university. Frye is
one of the program’s creators.
Having identified increases in
the populations’ addiction to
pornography, even in extremely
remote areas, regional church
leaders invited Frye and
Hayse to share strategies for
ministering to those entrapped
by the addiction. Harmon
Schmelzenbach, Field Strategy
Coordinator of the South Pacific
and Melanesia Fields for the
Church of the Nazarene, related
an amazing story about the
pervasiveness of the problem.
While traveling the remote Sepik
River Delta, Schmelzenbach,
encountered men in a reed hut
who had traded animals for a
generator and projector on which
to show pornographic films. The
“businessmen” were charging
admission of two sweet potatoes
each to watch the films, and
had grown a booming business
among villagers.
Frye and Hayse hope their
strategies will assist ministers
and counselors in the U.S. and
abroad.
Africa
Johannes Kanis (’92) is a services
architect for Microsoft Services
Middle East and Africa.
Uganda
MNU students
will travel to
Jinja, Uganda,
in May 2012 in
partnership with
AOET-USA, the
Aids Orphan
Education Trust.
Middle East
Mike Kruse (’81), recently
met with church leaders in
Lebanon and Egypt as chairman
of the board for the General
Assembly Mission Council of the
Presbyterian Church, USA.
New Zealand
Alum and former staffer Alison
Weinstock (’03) recently moved
to New Zealand where she will
teach and co-pastor a church.
Article Title
MNU Europe
ost issues of Accent are
replete with stories of servant
leaders. After all, MNU’s
mission statement is “to
educate and inspire servant leaders.” This
issue explores MNU’s vision statement, “To
be a premier Christian university with global
impact.”
M
MNU has an opportunity to further
expand its worldwide influence by
partnering with European Nazarene
College in Büsingen, Germany.
Question: Is it possible for a small
Christian university in the middle of the
country to truly have a global impact?
According to MNU director of global
studies Lorie Beckum, EuNC has
closed its residential campus, and
MNU is in the process of partnering
with EuNC to utilize its facilities.
Answer: We already do.
Each year teams of students are trained
and sent from MNU on 10 to 12 mission
trips around the world. Students raise
more than $175,000 each year to support
these trips.
“Several economic and cultural
changes have opened a door for
MNU to have a European campus
offering intercultural experience for
our students,” says Beckum.
Those with highly specialized skills and
those with nothing more than a willing
heart learn leadership and a multicultural worldview through the experience.
In addition to these hands-on global
ministries, the campus community adopts
a Passion to Serve project each year. These
projects are student-initiated and led. In
the past two years MNU students have
raised more than $85,000 to build a clinic
in Patanatic, Guatemala, and an Orphan
Care facility in Siaya, Kenya.
EuNC continues to operate from
satellite campuses and online,
but MNU will have full access to
the Büsingen campus year-round,
starting in June 2012. According
to Beckum, this will allow MNU
to provide semesters abroad as
well as short-term and winter
term academic offerings. The
Eurasia region of the Church of
the Nazarene will still manage the
campus and continue to use it as
needed.
“This opens the door to global input
into our curriculum and increased
cultural competency for our
students and faculty,” says Beckum.
Courses at the Büsingen campus
will be available both to USA/
Canada region students and
Eurasian students who wish to study
on campus.
“This will eventually be a revenueproducing program competitive
with other opportunities to study
abroad. Other Nazarene schools
and students from other Council for
Christian Colleges and Universities
institutions can participate through
MNU,” adds Beckum.
We’re not [just]
in Kansas anymore
By Dr. Randy Beckum (’76)
MNU chaplain and vice president for community formation
16 Accent Magazine / Fall 2011
This year’s Passion to Serve project is
$40,000 for the Kansas City Urban Youth
Center. These projects and mission
opportunities are only the beginning. A
spark is ignited in the hearts of students
when they experience the joy of selfless
service and giving. Students also see the
global influence of MNU when faculty
members teach courses abroad. Drs.
Todd Frye, Mark Hayse, Earl Bland, Cindy
Peterson, Jim Edlin, Dean Flemming,
and Linda Alexander taught courses this
year in the Philippines, Austria, Germany,
Ukraine and the Caribbean. Whether
leading an international trip for MNU
students or teaching as a guest of the host
country, MNU faculty members are literally
educating across the globe.
The impact grows as the network of MNU
alumni expands around the world. MNU
alumni find places of service on nearly
every continent.
Fifteen alumni are now teaching English
in Cheonan City, Korea. Alumni are
serving in missions as regional directors,
field strategists, pastors, missionaries,
doctors, nurses, engineers and jungle
pilots. Some alumni impact global
markets, international and multinational
businesses. MNU has had a global impact
on every continent in the world in the past
five years alone, including Antartica where
former MNU professor Dr. Matthew Sattley
performed research on bacteria growing in
frigid regions.
In Soddo, Ethiopia, Dr. Stephanie Hail
(’01) works as a physician. In a recent
blog (http://drhail.wordpress.com), she
describes how, aside from her hospital
and clinic duties, she opens her home to
10 street children every week, lets them
shower, washes their clothes and feeds
them a hot meal.
Soon all MNU students will have the
opportunity to learn and serve abroad at
the MNU Europe campus in Büsingen,
Germany. (See sidebar on page 16.)
On the following pages some of the
hundreds of MNU alumni who serve in
businesses, churches and mission fields
are highlighted. It is exciting to think of
what our global service map (page 14-15)
will look like in the future.
On opening night of New Student
Orientation this August, I stood by the
Harvest Prayer sculpture in the center of
our campus mall looking out at the class
of 2015. Each student held a white glow
stick creating a ring of light in the dark
around Legacy Circle. There we were in
a small circle of light on a small hill in
Kansas. At the close of the ceremony the
sound system played Bruce Springsteen’s
version of “This Little Light of Mine.” The
question hit me, “Where will these lights
end up shining over the next four years and
beyond?”
At the close of the first night of their
college career we reminded the students
that settlers see the horizon and no
further, but Pioneers explore the world
beyond the horizon. Then they joined their
voices and shouted with us in unison, “We
are not settlers, we are PIONEERS.”
17 Accent Magazine / Fall 2011
H O N O R I N G T H E R . C U R T I S S M I T H FA M I LY
MNU HOMECOMING 2011
Homecoming 2011 was a beautiful
weekend jam-packed with family, friends
and football. The weekend began with a
breakfast in honor of the alumni award
winners Dr. Carla Jill Stein (’77), Alumna
of the Year; Dr. Randall Stephens (’91),
Alumnus of the Year; Gary Bustin (’01),
Carry the Torch Award; and Quinn Carr
(’07), Young Alumni Award.
performance by Heritage Choir, a cookie
reception and late-night alumni basketball.
Special to Homecoming this year were
events honoring the family of founding
President Dr. R. Curtis Smith, Marge Smith
and their family. Enjoy a video on the
influence of Dr. R. Curtis Smith that was
unveiled for the weekend at
mnu.edu/accent/more.
Other activities included Homecoming
chapel, Athletics Hall of Fame banquet,
Communiversity, an annual Homecoming
Celebration Dinner featuring the Dave
Stephens Band and a late-night event with
alumni band, Samestate.
Highlights of the weekend were a grand
re-opening of the newly renovated Marge
Smith Archives in Mabee Library and
a reception in honor of the Steve Cole
Scholarship endowment fund.
Saturday’s all-day celebration under
the Big Tent was filled with pancakes,
BBQ, and more. The Pioneers defeated
Benedictine on the football field and
the evening concluded with a stellar
For more photos of Homecoming visit our
gallery at mnu.edu/accent/photo-gallery.
5
6
4
1
1
2
In recognition of her years of service to MNU, Marge
Smith (center) received “MNU Morning,” a print
of a specially-commissioned painting by alumnus Ray
Craighead (’77), at the Homecoming Celebration Dinner.
Pictured from left: Kathleen and Blake Smith, Marge
Smith, Kathy and Dr. Barth Smith.
2
Carla Jill (Mullins ’77) Stein, EdD, received the
Alumna of the Year Award from Craig Doane (’81),
Alumni Council president.
3
4
5
Winners pose at the 2nd Annual BBQ Cookoff.
Thrilling the fans, the Pioneers won 49 to 39 vs.
Benedictine College.
Randall Stephens, PhD (’95), with MNU interim
president Dr. Jim Diehl. Stephens received the
Alumnus of the Year Award.
6
From left: Kevin Wardlaw with newly inducted MNU
Hall of Famer, former soccer player, Mike Dye (’06,
MAC ’08) and athletic director Kevin Steele.
3
7
Students enjoy the annual Homecoming Banquet at
the President’s Hilton in Kansas City, Mo.
7
MNU Athletics
Article Title
Soccer
The NFL At MNU
A Super Bowl ring. The NFL’s Fastest Man.
First round draft picks. Bears, Broncos,
Packers, Chiefs. If you cheered for Pioneer
football this season, you would have
seen all these things represented on the
sidelines. Pioneer football benefits from
a team of experts leading them to victory,
with an astounding six former NFL players
on the coaching staff.
have the 1996 NFL Fastest Man running
their sprint drills every afternoon.
“Former NFL players coach because they
love the game, not for the recognition or
the money,” explains head coach and World
Bowl MVP Jonathan Quinn.
“Coaching is so natural, but it’s a different
beast,” Kimble says about his career,
which also included time as head coach
Returning to MNU after a short break is
running backs coach Kimble Anders, also
the athletic director for a local school
district. Anders played for the Chiefs for
nine years and went to the Pro-Bowl three
years in a row.
at Northeast High School in Kansas City.
“Players here have a great attitude; they
give it their best. We always say it’s about
making it big time where you’re at.”
Adding to the impressive lineup on the
sidelines is Minnesota Viking’s first round
draft pick Duane Clemons, Super Bowl
XXXV Champion Ravens player Anthony
Davis, and former player and strength
coach of the Seattle Seahawks Frank
Raines.
Quinn, a quarterback for six years in
the NFL, started the trend of former pro
players coaching at MNU.
“I never thought about coaching before,
but I’m glad Coach Quinn called me,”
says Kennison. “What’s great is when I’m
teaching young guys, I’m giving them all
my experience from the NFL. Once they
get it, and I can see it in their faces, that’s
really rewarding for me.”
20 Accent Magazine / Fall 2011
The Pioneer men's soccer team is fighting
to compete in an eight-team conference
where half the squads are in the Top 25,
but junior forward Trent Remmich has
enjoyed an incredible season. Ranking
2nd in the nation [at the time of this
publication], Remmich had 21 goals in 16
games. He was named HAAC Offensive
Player of the Week for three weeks
straight, including an NAIA National
Offensive Player of the Week honor.
Football
Volleyball
The Pioneers started the football season as
the #3-ranked team in the nation. A weektwo road loss to then #11 Missouri Valley
has been the team’s only slip-up at the time
of this publication. Wins over Baker, #15
Southern Nazarene, and #7 Benedictine
have propelled the Pioneers back to the
top five as they look to claim their fifth
conference title in the last 10 years. Led
by two-time HAAC Offensive Player of the
Week Sean Ransburg, the offense is in the
Top 10 in total yards. And two-time Heart of
America Athletic Conference Player of the
Week (including an NAIA National Player of
the Week honor) Dantren Anderson leads
the Pioneer’s defense ranked in the Top 20.
The 2011 volleyball team is enjoying its
finest season ever. The Pioneers are
contending for a conference title and
have already locked up the best winning
percentage in program history.
Linjun Ji has been a three-time HAAC
Player of the Week. Laura Hamblin has
twice been honored as HAAC Libero of
the Week, and Kimmie Kreeger received a
Setter of the Week nod.
The Pioneers are the #2 seed going into
the HAAC Conference Tournament.
Want to learn more? Visit mnusports.com
MNU Coach Trains the Olympic Way
Head strength and conditioning coach
Whitney Rodden (’01) trained with
current USA Weightlifting coach Zygmunt
Smalcerz, the 1972 Flyweight Olympic
Champion, this summer. Rodden attended
the 2011 USA Weightlifting Summer
Developmental Camp at the Olympic
Training Center in Colorado Springs as the
coach of athlete Jaslyn McGraw of Olathe.
Newest to the Pioneer’s coaching staff
is Eddie Kennison, a former Los Angeles
Rams and Kansas City Chiefs receiver with
8,345 yards to his name.
As for his days in the NFL, Kennison says
walking in the locker room and seeing his
childhood heroes was unreal. To Pioneer
receivers, it’s undoubtedly the same to
The 2011 women's soccer team has
been on the verge of breaking through
all season. With 4 overtime losses, the
Pioneers' record should have been much
better than the .500 mark they currently
hold. Ashton Bergh and Becca Skillman
have earned HAAC Player of the Week
honors, and MNU hopes to make noise in
the conference tournament at the end of
the season.
The group of fifteen athletes and four
coaches from around the country spent
their days lifting twice a day and practicing
drills and lifting techniques.
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT (Back Row) Whitney Rodden (Trainer), Duane Clemons, Paul Hubbard,
Jonathan Quinn, Anthony Davis, Scott Campbell, Rick Fields. (Front Row) Frank Raines, Paul Meinke,
Kimble Anders, Eddie Kennison, Todd Peterson, Matt Ashley,
“It was reassuring to learn that I’m
teaching the same things as a coach at
the Olympic level,” Rodden remarked
about the similarity between Olympic
weightlifting training and what she teaches
MNU athletes on a daily basis.
A former MNU softball player, Rodden
earned her undergraduate degree in
athletic training at MNU, and an MA in
education administration from Kansas
State University. She coached strength and
conditioning at KSU and the University of
Kansas before becoming a coach at MNU
in 2005.
21 Accent Magazine / Fall 2011
Advancing MNU
Advancing MNU
of Trustees and is currently on the MNU
Foundation Board of Directors.
“From the beginning, he has stood in
the gap for MNU as the university and
its alumni established themselves,” says
April (Loomis '92) Hansen, director of
development for annual giving at MNU. “Dr.
Theel’s generous challenge match offers
more alumni an opportunity to follow in his
footsteps.”
Through the challenge match, all first-time
alumni donations will be matched dollarfor-dollar, doubling the impact of a new
donor’s generosity.
pioneering the future
With the goal of providing more
scholarship support to students from the
MNU educational region, the Pioneering
the Future campaign was launched in
October 2011.
the Future, the endowment will grow and
each district will benefit directly from
its own funds. Money donated from the
Iowa District, for example, will only go to
students from that district.
“We’ve been working closely with Nazarene
pastors, district superintendents and
lay leaders to prepare for a bright future
through scholarship endowments,” says
Jon North (’92, MBA ’94), vice president
for University Advancement.
“It’s crucial that MNU remain affordable
for our region’s Nazarene students. By
supporting a scholarship endowment on
each district, individuals are ensuring a
lasting legacy of support for students from
these areas,” says North.
The Pioneering the Future campaign
places gifts to this initiative from each
Nazarene church district into a restricted
endowment account to fund scholarships
to students only from that district.
The campaign will be annual and will
culminate in a special offering each
October, but North states donations and
pledges are accepted and encouraged year
round. Individual donations can come in
the form of a current or an estate gift.
Because MNU is a relatively young
institution, much of the funds given to
the university thus far have been used for
campus development. With Pioneering
Pioneering the Future has big goals.
According to North, each district has a
goal of $1 million in the first three years.
Combined, this would double the size of
the MNU endowment and provide a strong
foundation for scholarship distribution. As
funds in the endowment grow annually,
so will the amount of the scholarships
available to students.
“It’s a compelling vision for what the future
could look like,” says North.
Endowment scholarships will be awarded
to Nazarene students from each district
based on financial needs as determined by
the director of Student Financial Services
in accordance with established University
guidelines.
Want to learn more about giving? Visit
www.mnu.edu/giving.
The match also applies to increased giving
from previous donors. If an alumnus has
been giving $100 a year and chooses to
give $200 this year, the $100 increase will
be matched. The gifts must be received by
December 31 of this year.
Alumni Challenged to Raise More With Special Gift
MNU is reaching for a new alumni
giving record this year. It started with
a competition among all Nazarene
universities to see which can improve
alumni giving the most by 2012.
“This competition is good for all of the
schools because giving will increase for all
of us,” says Jon North (’92, MBA ’94), vice
president for University Advancement.
To kick things off, MNU has already
received a generous challenge match gift.
Dr. Otto Theel and his wife, Beulah, have
pledged to match new and increased
alumni giving up to $50,000. The
Theels have played a pivotal role in the
university since its inception. Dr. Theel
was the founder of the Honorary Alumni
Association, has served on the MNU Board
Included in this issue of Accent is a special
donation envelope for the matching
challenge for the convenience of those who
would like to participate.
Getting your will done has never been easier.
The recently launched Planned Giving website mnugiving.org now
includes a number of new tools to assist families in identifying their
goals, dreams, and aspirations for the future. The new resource
includes an online Will Planner that guides individuals through a
simple, step-by-step process of identifying assets and determining
how they should be handled in the future. After using the Will Planner,
donors can choose to share the information with their attorney.
Other online resources include a gift calculator, sample bequest
language, up-to-date financial news and tips for personal financial
planning. Also included in the website is information about the
Cornerstone Society, a program that honors individuals who have
taken the significant step of including MNU in their estate plans.
Resources are available for individuals and financial advisors alike. To
take advantage of these new tools, visit www.mnugiving.org.
22 Accent Magazine / fall 2011
23 Accent Magazine / Fall 2011
Alumni & Friends
Alumni & Friends
Alumni News
Larissa Klinger
(’04), an actress and
musician in New York
City, performed over
the summer with
the Liberty Bells and
the USO. She also
appeared in 42nd
Street and BUDDY:
The Buddy Holly Show
last spring.
Greg Sheffer (’93), owner of Inversion, an
Olathe, Kan., video and film production
company, can add several more awards to
his mantle. On October 22, 2011, Sheffer
was awarded three Mid-America Emmy®
Awards from The Mid-America Chapter of
the National Academy of Television Arts
& Sciences (NATAS) for Olathe – The City
Beautiful, a series of films on the history of
Olathe.
The first film of the series – The Bricklayer –
also won best heartland documentary at the
2011 AMC Theaters Kansas City Film Fest.
Sheffer also won a 2011 Telly Award
for one of five films he produced for
Grace and Peace magazine. The awardwinning Resurrection Story presented the
testimony of Larry, a former general of a
white supremacist group who had spent
time in prison. As a result of his contact
with Adsideo Church of the Nazarene in
Portland, Ore., Larry became a Christian.
The Telly Awards honor the best local,
regional, and cable television commercials
and programs, as well as non-broadcast
video and film productions.
in New Jersey now through April 2012.
After that, the piece will be part of the
year-long International Sculpture Center's
traveling exhibition with the locations to be
determined.
The International Sculpture Center
established the Outstanding Student
Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture
Award program in 1994 to recognize
deserving sculpture students and to
encourage their continued commitment to
the field of sculpture.
The sculpture, “Charting the Self,” weighs
700 pounds and is 8 feet tall. Platter
says his work “attempts to understand
the nature of physical being in relation
to the void — our uncertain capacity
for something beyond the verifiable.
Questioning the power of the mind and
seeking evidence of something greater
than oneself are at the core of my process.
Through metaphors of time, like falling
through space and the mind as a vessel, I
address the essence of ‘what it is to be.’”
A sculpture created by David Platter
(’06) is considered among the best
contemporary student works in North
America, according to the International
Sculpture Center.
Platter, who received a master of fine
arts degree from the University of Kansas
last spring, was one of 15 students
chosen from a pool of 485 for the center’s
Outstanding Achievement in Contemporary
Sculpture Award. His sculpture, a massive
bust that is suspended upside-down, will
be exhibited at the Grounds for Sculpture
DF I think it may be due to at least two
factors: fear and misunderstanding. Some
Christians are afraid that if you change the
way the Gospel is expressed, you are also
changing the heart of the Gospel itself. In
other words, they think if you change the
form, you are necessarily compromising
the message.
Cody Fuqua (’11)
played shortstop
this summer
for the Roswell,
N.M., Invaders of
the professional,
independent Pecos
baseball league
with a .344 batting
average. Visit www.pecosleague.com for
stats and more.
Continued on page 26...
Contextualization in the New Testament
"Contextualization: to think about or provide information about the situation in
which something happens." Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online.
MNU professor of New Testament and
missions Dean Flemming, PhD (’75) [above
right], is a recognized New Testament
scholar and authority in the field of
contextualization of the Gospel. His book
Contextualization in the New Testament:
Patterns for Theology and Mission, received
a 2006 Christianity Today book award.
Having served as a missionary and
educator for 25 years in Asia and Europe,
Flemming has first-hand experience with
communicating the Gospel to various
cultures, making him an effective professor
on the subject.
Rick Power (’78) [above left], is senior
pastor of Olathe College Church of the
Nazarene. Power also brings a global view
to the table from living in China for 16
years and serving as a pastor in Hawaii for
four years.
In an interview with Accent, the two
discussed contextualization of the Gospel,
the need to understand its origin, purpose,
and practical application for ministry
students and the church at large.
Accent Dr. Flemming, what is
contextualization of the Gospel?
DF Contextualization is how the Gospel
comes to life in the diversity of human
cultures and circumstances. We can talk
about it from two perspectives. First, it
means expressing the Gospel by speaking
and living in ways that make sense in a
given setting. Second, the Gospel will
at times challenge and transform that
context.
Accent Why have some Christians found
contextualization controversial?
But Christians have been engaged
in contextualization from the time of
Jesus and the apostles. It’s something
missionaries have always done. When we
enter a different culture, we need to find
ways of telling and living the Gospel that
make sense to people. Contextualization
should happen whenever the Christian
message encounters a new audience.
Every time I preach, or teach, or share my
faith, the message needs to be shaped
in such a way that it connects with that
particular group of people.
Accent So contextualization does not
change the Gospel, but changes how it is
presented?
DF That’s right. There’s no “one-sizefits-all” way of presenting the Christian
message. When I first taught New
Testament in the Philippines, I talked
to my students about issues like the
assurance of personal salvation and how
we can demonstrate that the resurrection
of Jesus was a historical event. But as I
listened to my students, I realized they
had burning issues on their minds that I
hadn’t thought much about—like, “What
does the New Testament say about poverty
and oppression,” and "How does Scripture
equip us for responding to spiritual
powers?” So I needed to rethink how I
taught.
Continued on page 26.
Calendar of Events
Make plans now to reconnect with
friends from far and wide at our
slate of Alumni and Friends events.
Want more information? Visit
www.mnu.edu/alumni.
12.13
MNU Tuesdays Business and
Professionals Luncheon
Location: Granite City - Olathe, Kan.
Speaker: Dr. James Diehl
01.10
MNU Tuesdays Business and
Professionals Luncheon
Location: Granite City - Olathe, Kan.
Speaker: Alicia Hooks (MA '76)
24 Accent Magazine / Fall 2011
01.16
01.20
Martin Luther King Jr.
Community Prayer Breakfast
02.04
Alumni Day at Pioneer
Basketball Games
Location: Bell Cultural Events Center
Speaker: Dr. Elmer L. Gillett
Location: Bell Family Arena
Cook Center
Alumni and Friends Night at the
Great Wolf Lodge (01.20 - 01.21)
2:00 p.m. Women’s Game
4:00 p.m. Men’s Game
Free to all alumni and families
Location: Great Wolf Lodge
Kansas City, Kansas
02.14
MNU Tuesdays Business and
Professionals Luncheon
02.21
Location: Granite City - Olathe
Speaker: Todd Frye
02.17
Young Alumni Ski Trip
February 02.17 - 02.20
Location: Winter Park, Colo
Open to first 20 to register
Denver MNU Tuesdays Business
and Professionals Luncheon
Location: Maggiano’s South
Englewood, Colo
03.06
MNU Tuesdays Business and
Professionals Luncheon
Location: Granite City - Olathe
Speaker: Rick Armstrong (’90)
25 Accent Magazine / Fall 2011
Alumni & Friends
Continued from page 25.
Accent Have some Christians gone too
far in their efforts to contextualize the
Gospel?
RP History is full of examples of people
going too far with contextualization.
There was a famous controversy in China
called the “Rites Controversy.” In the 17th
Century, Jesuit missionaries decided it
was okay to allow Christian believers to
participate in certain Buddhist rituals in
addition to their Catholic beliefs.
The exclusivity of the Gospel is sometimes
offensive—but if we try to accommodate
the desire to combine religions, we’ve
Alumni & Friends
crossed a line. Jesus is not one of the ways
to God. He is “The Way.”
Accent Dr. Flemming, how do you handle
teaching today’s ministry students the art
of contextualization while ensuring they
understand its potential pitfalls?
DF I use Biblical examples and ground
what I teach in Scripture. I try to show
how the missionaries and writers in
the New Testament had great balance
between being flexible in expression
and firm in their commitment to the one
Gospel. But let’s not pretend this is easy.
It’s challenging. We need the guidance
of the Spirit and the accountability of the
Christian community.
RP Remember that the New Testament was
full of contextualization [because it used
references to which the readers of its time
could relate]. The expression of worship you
feel comfortable in, whether traditional or
contemporary, is still a contextualization.
There was a time when a choir, pulpit and
altars were all radical new innovations.
People working to find effective tools for
ministry were inspired with these ideas.
To read the rest of the article, please visit
www.mnu.edu/accent/more.
Additional News
Tim Murray (’87) is pursuing a Doctor of
Education in educational leadership at
Baker University.
Melinda Ablard Smith (’90) is the
community relations director for Rock The
Light, a three-day Christian music festival
in LaCygne, Kan. Smith is also an adjunct
faculty member at MNU.
Bryan Porter (’96) is co-founding partner
of Arsalon Technologies of Lenexa, Kan.
The company made Ingram’s Magazine’s
Corporate Report 100 list, coming in at
number 10 among the 100 fastest growing
companies in Kansas City. Boasting more
than 198% growth, Arsalon offers colocation, dedicated servers and managed
services to companies with its fully
redundant infrastructures and highperformance networks.
Kathy Walter (’96) is co-founder of
Consider It Done, LLC, “Your On-Call
Concierge,” specializing in assisting those
who care for aging parents. Co-owner
Sharon Clair is a former MNU nursing
instructor. Visit their blog site at:
http://cidconcierge.blogspot.com.
26 Accent Magazine / fall 2011
Sidney Dement (’01) graduated from the
University of Kansas with a PhD in Slavic
Literature and Languages in May 2011.
He is a visiting lecturer in the Russian
and German department at Binghamton
University in Vestal, New York.
Blake Leoni (’09), Darren Harms (’10),
Dalton Diehl (FS ’11), Ryan Lytle (FS ’12)
and Ray Wyatt of the band Samestate
released their first single “Hurricane” this
summer. The single went to number 13 on
the iTunes chart.
Lacole Hook, PhD (’04) is an instructor in
sport and recreation at the University of
Minnesota.
Nate Howard (’10) is working for
Youthfront Christian Ministries in Kansas
City, Kan., in community outreach and
development. Howard is Youthfront’s
director of the School of Formation, which
trains college students in urban ministries.
Aaron K. Bennett (’05) graduated from Azusa
Pacific University with a Master of Science in
college counseling and student development.
Bennett is currently serving as assistant
director of campus and career transitions at
Friends University in Wichita, Kan.
Andrew Secor (’05) was elected to the
Kansas Association for Play Therapy's
Board of Directors on July 23, 2011.
Matt Gow (’11) spent the summer in
California playing on a faith-based, semiprofessional soccer team. He is now
serving on a five-month mission trip in
southern Mexico.
Want more?
Visit www.mnu.edu/accent/more.
Mark Wieczorek (’07) represented Team
USA in the 800 meters in the Pan Am
games in Guadalajara, Mexico, on October
28, placing 5th. He is head coach for the
No. 2 state-ranked Gig Harbor High School
cross-country team in Gig Harbor, Wash.
Births
James Reid
May 30, 2011.
Son of Ryan ('03)
and Kimberly
(Suderman '06)
Campbell.
Rylan Grace and
Brylee Jean
June 1, 2011.
Twin daughters
of Vince ('10) and
Lisen (Curry,’00)
Wonderlich.
Lillian Marie
Ethan Matthias
March 5, 2011.
Daughter of
Andrew and Nicole
(Hemmingson ’05)
Kerr.
April 16, 2011.
Son of James (‘04)
and Tiffany (Boese
'04) Strickland.
Easton Eugene
Charlotte Kay
May 6, 2011.
Son of Brandon (’06)
and Mindy (McIntyre
’06) Mauler.
May 23, 2011.
Daughter of Billie
(‘08) and Emily
(O'Neal '11) Taylor.
Samuel Levi
Tanner Kayden
April 8, 2011.
Son of Daniel
(’03, MBA '08) and
Melissa (Schapeler
’02) Mehlhaff. He
joins a sister, Sadie.
June 7, 2011.
Son of Greg
('99) and Sharon
(Ravenscraft ’98,
'00) Wright.
Collin Matthew
Zimri Fischer
June 15, 2011.
Son of Matthew ('07)
and Diana Schneider.
February 22, 2011.
Son of David ('00)
and Devonne
Schlepp.
Canan Garth | July 12, 2011.
Son of Davis (’03) and Stephanie Hodam.
He joins a sister, Jael Maree.
Announcements for babies born before
February, 2011 are available at
www.mnu.edu/accent/more.
Condolences
Tiblez Berhe (’92) of Cedar Hill, Texas,
passed away December 12, 2010. She is
survived by her husband, Fasil, and four
children.
Jean McCally, EdD, (’90) passed
away October 29, 2011. Jean was the
assistant superintendent and curriculum
coordinator of the Ottawa, Kan. school
district. She is survived by her husband
Rob (’91) and two sons.
Marriages
Jordan (Hobson ’11) to Josh Klekamp
(’10) on May 30, 2011.
Amanda Larson and Nate Howard ('10)
on June 4, 2011.
Courtney (Owens '08) and Erik Gaede
('09) on June 25, 2011.
Shanna Walton and Kyle Henne ('01)
on June 18, 2011.
Have news?
Want to share births, marriages, and accomplishments with Accent? Please send to [email protected].
27 27
Accent
Accent
Magazine
Magazine
/ Summer
/ fall 2011
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