JUDSON todayJUDSON todayA Magazine for Friends and Alumni of Judson University

Summer 2015

NEW MASTER PLAN Sketches out spaces for living and learning

My Judson journey began in August 2006, followed by a set of events that I would never have predicted. Campus was messy with the construction of the future Harm A. Weber Aca-demic Center. It was my first day, and I could only see the change as it was launching out of the ground in the form of concrete and steel. I would later learn that this masterpiece was the con-clusion of about 10 years of planning; the muddy mess was part of a grand vision.

The part of the story that I would have never thought possible is the opportunity to help shape the next vision for campus. After graduation, I joined GMB Architecture + Engineering, and a relationship formed between Judson and our office. We have sponsored a few architectural studios on campus and most recently worked to develop the new Campus Master Plan.

There comes a time in a university’s growth when a new plan with a fresh perspective is vital, and I believe that 2015 will mark the beginning of a new era of strategic growth and change. Master planning provides a framework for the gap between where the university is today and where it desires to be in the future. The plan cannot predict the future, but simply plan for it.

Having a refined vision for a campus is essential to a university’s future. We see the develop-ment of a Campus Master Plan as being good stewards with what God has entrusted to and tasked us with. It was important for us to set aside a point in time to clearly understand Judson’s vision and then to establish goals. With these goals set, the next 10 years will focus on small steps of achievement toward a grand vision, rather than reacting to changes in the environment.

Having a well-refined vision is not the only important part of a Campus Master Plan, the second is allowing God to work through it. He promises in Proverbs 16 that if we commit our work to the Lord, our plans will be established. Throughout the entire design process, it has been made evident that Judson’s goal for the future is wholly Christ-centered.

The success of a Campus Master Plan will be evident in its fruition. An implementation strat-egy that assists the plan has been created and refined multiple times into five phases of construc-tion. It considers project timing, campus location and the ability of other areas on campus to alleviate construction stress. It’s intentional, detailed and thought through.

As architects, we use the term “culture of planning” frequently in discussing the implemen-tation of a plan. An organization’s culture is a specific collection of shared values and norms. There’s a qualitative difference between an organization that usually, or occasionally plans, and one that has planning endemic to its culture. Master planning is a transformational moment of time within a university’s lifeblood, providing an opportunity to infuse a culture of planning within the institution. It is a time that models a portion of what Judson is about by developing the skills and commitment for lifelong learning.

I think about new students walking on campus throughout the upcoming years seeing change, construction and transition. Like my first day on campus, I hope that they too will be encour-aged when they learn about the intentions and background of the grander vision.

Ben Scholten ’10, ’12Architect, GMB Architecture + Engineering

FPO

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F R O M T H E D E S K O F O U R G U E S T

The Campus Master Plan From Concept to Vision

J U D S O N T O D AY E D I T O R I A L S TA F FEDITORMary DulabaumDirector of Communications and Marketing ASSOCIATE EDITORLisa Jones TownselWriter/Social Media Manager

LAYOUT AND PRODUCTIONCeleste TorresLayout and Production Specialist

PHOTOGRAPHYEric Secker Web Projects Specialist

STUDENT PHOTOGRAPHERSRachel DesJardins ’15Jamie Galen ’17Meredith Kennedy ’15

ALUMNOTES EDITORBonnie BienertDirector of Alumni Relations

ATHLETICS EDITORRich BenjaminAthletic Director

J U D S O N U N I V E R S I T Y L E A D E R S H I P T E A MDr. Gene C. Crume Jr.President

Dr. Wilbert J. FriesenProvost and Chief Academic Officer

Randall W. PattersonInterim Senior Vice President of Business Affairsand Chief Financial Officer

Nancy Binger ’97Vice President for Enrollment Management and Strategic Planning

Roger BrimmermanAssociate Vice President for Development

Devlin Donaldson ’79Senior Vice President for External Relations

Ginny Guth ’02/’08Associate Vice President for Student Success and University Registrar

Lisa Jarot ’03Assistant Vice President for Student Life

Brent RichardsonAssistant Vice President for Information Technologies

Tena Robotham ’78Executive Assistant to the PresidentAssistant Secretary to Board of Trustees

Judson Today is published three times a year by the Marketing and Communications Office at Judson University. Please send address changes and correspondence to Judson Today c/o Advancement Office, 1151 North State St., Elgin, IL 60123 or email jcramer@JudsonU.edu

C O V E R P H O T OJudson’s future campus will include many new enhancements from dorms to buildings and roadways as presented in a drawing from GMB Architecture + Engineering.

F E A T U R E S

Imago Film Festival Continues to Thrive ............................................................. 5 Judson’s faith-based film festival brings celebrity actors and directors to campus to share their worldview.

Finding the Beat of His Own Drum ........................................................................ 8 Judson tour guide turned a hobby into a life-changing passion.

Spring Chapel Series Proves to be Successful .................................................... 9 Spring chapel series welcomed enormously popular themes and guests!

New Master Plan Sketches Out Spaces for Living and Learning ................. 12 Plan envisions future spaces for learning, living, worship and relaxation.

World Leaders Forum 2015 .................................................................................... 16 Hundreds attend event to hear former Mexican President Felipe Calderón.

America’s Pastime Keeps Elgin Family Dedicated to Judson ....................... 28 The Hoffer family's legacy lives on with the renovation of the new baseball field.

I N E V E R Y I S S U E

Faculty Accomplishments ...................................................................................... 20

Alumnotes .................................................................................................................. 24

Summer 2015

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1612 28

JUDSON today

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by Rogelia Pena ‘15

J U D S O N N E W S

Nancy BingerJudson alumna

Nancy Binger ’97, a former Associate Vice President, is Vice President for Enrollment

Management and Strategic Planning as of June 1. Her new responsibilities include oversight of the Athletic Department as well as Admissions, Financial Aid, and Marketing and Communications. She also serves as the chair of the Strategic Planning Committee. Binger, a 1997 business grad and student athlete, began her career at Judson in 2001 as Director of Athletic Marketing and Promotions. She and her husband, Chad, live in Union, Ill., with their three-year-old twins.

What started out as a small committee of women that assisted Judson College as it launched its Elgin chapter in 1963, Friends of Judson has now reached a membership of 225 men and women. The mission of the group remains to enhance the quality of student life on campus; raise funds for scholarships and present them to worthy students as well as to drum up interest in Judson and its students.

In its early years, Friends of Judson purchased and furnished the first student lounge and organized a commencement ceremony for graduating seniors. During the last decade, the group established “Hugs from Home,” a means for parents to send Valentine gifts, birthday cakes, and other forms of loving surprises to their sons and daughters at Judson. Another standing tradition is that the group welcomes incoming freshmen with big cookies each fall. In order to support students’ involvement in global outreach, Friends of Judson sponsors a bake sale that helps fund the different spring mission trips. And what would Christmas be like at Judson without the beautifully decorated chapel? Yes, the Friends of Judson group is “guilty” of such an endeavor.

Besides fostering a rich campus life, Friends of Judson mostly engages in raising funds for various scholarship efforts, including an Endowed Scholarship and an Annual Scholarship Fund. Another Friends of Judson fundraiser is an annual two-day spring garage

Friends of Judson Work Behind the Scenes

Randall W. PattersonRandall W. Patterson joined the Judson family on March 16, as the Interim Senior Vice President of Business Affairs

and Chief Financial Officer. He has held various C-Suite level positions (e.g., CEO, CRO, CFO) in dozens of companies in numerous industries for more than 30 years. His prior experience includes a decade of managing two other consulting firms and a dozen years at Deloitte & Touche. Prior to accepting this post, Patterson served as senior managing director of Lake Pointe Partners, LLC, a consulting and interim management firm that he co-founded in Chicago in 2004. Patterson lives in Chicago.

Devlin Donaldson

Judson alumnus Devlin Donaldson ’79 joined Judson’s leadership team on June 1, as the Senior Vice President for

External Relations. Prior to joining Judson, Donaldson worked in digital publishing of religious material with NOVO Ink, and as president and CEO of the Vista Grande Company, in Colorado Springs, Colo. For 14 years, he was president of the growth-consulting firm, The Elevation Group, and he spent 18 years with Compassion International in various roles. He and his wife, Carol, have one daughter. Donaldson, a former Judson Board Trustee member, will remain in Colorado.

sale, which took place in May at First Baptist Church of Elgin. Friends of Judson’s scholarships have helped hundreds of students over the years!

Members live in many areas of the United States, including right here in Elgin. They represent and propagate the spirit of the “Judson Eagles.” Through their hard work, Judson’s reach is strengthened and students’ college experiences are enriched.

For more information about becoming a member or making a donation, please contact Cathy Zange, Friends of Judson second vice president, at 827-658-7917. The annual membership fee is $10, and includes a member yearbook and newsletters.

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NEW STAFF AND FACULTY CHANGES JUDSON UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP TEAM NEWS

SUMMER 2015 5

Dr. Jhennifer AmundsonDr. Amundson, Professor of Architecture, is the new Interim Dean of the School of Art, Design and Architecture.

Elliott AndersonJudson alumnus Elliott Anderson ’89 Campus Outreach Counselor, will become the new Director of Student Health and Wellness.

SUMMER 2015 5

Imago Film Festival ThrivesJudson’s 11th annual Imago Film Festival was held in March in the Marjorie Hall Thulin

Performance Hall. The festival, designed to showcase independent films from around the world that deal with faith and ethics, was once again a huge success.

It opened with screenings of the first block of short films in competition for the $1,000 grand prize. This block included “Nobody” (a coming-of-age story about Elvis) and “Through the Trees” (about a suicidal man who decides to make a positive impact on the world). Filmmakers introduced both films and the producer of “Through the Trees” explained how he was motivated by how one life can affect many.

Midweek, the festival continued with a sold-out screening of the film “Believe Me,” which highlights a group of college buddies who scam Christians by creating a fake charity. Director Will Bakke was in attendance and explained that the satire was intended to encourage Christians to decide whether they really loved Christ or just loved Christian culture.

Other highlights included a presentation by filmmaker and Judson instructor Matt Bilen, who discussed his upcoming dramatic fantasy project with Wanderlust films called “HeavenQuest.”

The festival closed with an elegant red carpet celebration. The party was a masquerade ball, a theme that connected to the career of the guest of honor Doug Jones (well known for his masked roles as the Silver Surfer in “The Fantastic Four” and Abe Sapien in “Hellboy”).

It was also announced that actor Denzel Washington was the recipient of the festival’s lifetime achievement award.

The festival’s grand-prize went to Spanish director Carlos Lascano’s “Lila,” a live action and animation film that follows an artist whose ideas have the power to reshape the world around her.

Next year’s film festival is scheduled for Tuesday-Saturday, March 29-April 2, 2016. For more information, check out imagofilmfestival.com or contact festival director Judson Film and Digital Media Chair Dr. Terrence Wandtke at filmfestival@JudsonU.edu.

Dan DickRecent Communications graduate from Northern Illinois University joins the Judson team as the new Director of Advancement.

Dr. Curtis SartorDr. Sartor will leave his role as Dean of the School of Art, Design and Architecture and will chair a new Diversity Committee on campus and serve as the new Assistant to the President for Diversity.

There are also a couple new faces to welcome and additional role transitions to highlight:

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Student Inspired After Serving

By Alex Hays ’15

Prior to this past school year, I never thought of myself as a prejudiced person. I was born in the heart of Washington, D.C., and grew up in a majority black neighborhood in the city of Chicago. When I became the Homeless Ministries Coordinator at Judson University, I did not expect to discover parts of myself that I considered foul.

My realization of prejudice in myself was not a sudden, shocking experience. The prejudice was subtle and manifested itself in judgmental thoughts and disbelief in the life stories of the homeless people whom I met. These prejudices did not lead to active discrimination, but they negatively influenced my relationships with the

people whom I was supposed to serve. These people were telling me their life stories and, although I tried to be receptive externally and help in any way that I could, I was responding internally with flat-out disbelief by fitting them into my preconceived stereotypes.

The people I met through Homeless Ministries stood in stark opposition to the judgmental stereotypes that I held. I met one man through Street Reach, a soup kitchen in Elgin that Judson students serve at, and he unknowingly began to expose my negative stereotypes. This man was my age and had been living out of his car until it broke down. He was now couch surfing with his mother at friends’ houses. To my surprise, he was attending career school and writing a novel. This man did not fit my stereotypical concept of a homeless person: lazy and unmotivated. In many aspects, this man was similar to me, but he had fallen on hard times

and was working very hard to get out of these circumstances. Through multiple conversations with him, I realized that I was prejudiced and that my stereotypes were wrong.

In addition to this man, the diverse backgrounds of people I met through Night on the Streets, a Homeless Ministries event where Judson students connect with homeless persons in downtown Chicago, have shown me that my stereotypes are narrow-minded and incorrect. The most effective combatant of my prejudices has been listening to the stories of others, and I am beginning to realize that everyone has a story that is unique and fully their own.

Moving forward, I hope to continue combatting my prejudices whenever they arise. Who am I to predict and judge the background of someone who I have only just met?

Alex Hays graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in history and sociology.

Jump into a New Career with a Coaching Certificate

Starting this spring, Judson University now offers an American Sport Education Program (ASEP) coaching certificate program for those interested in coaching sports at the elementary through high school levels.

The program covers four sporting areas, including volleyball, basketball, baseball and football. It requires eight courses altogether, including four core courses and four tactical and technical classes in the sport disciplines mentioned above.

The classes will be taught in the Lindner Fitness Center as part of the Exercise and Sport Science Department, says Chair Dr. Cathy Headley.

On average, the classes take anywhere from nine months to a year to complete.

Once the coursework is completed, candidates must sit for and pass a standardized test approved by the ASEP.

Core courses are offered in fall and spring with the tactical/technical courses offered throughout the year and in a unique, two-day eight-hour a day per course format.

“Our broad hope is that it attracts people who are interested in coaching and working in local high school programs,” says Professor Dana Pautsch. With specialized certification under their belts, new grads and others she says, “can coach anywhere. It will give students something to put on their resumes.”

Interested in applying? Contact Dr. Cathy Headley at cheadley@JudsonU.edu.

J U D S O N N E W S

SUMMER 2015 7

March into Health Helps Build Strong Communitiesby Jordan Rossi ‘15

New Judson alumna Jordan Rossi wrote this article as part of a contest for her Senior

Sports Management Seminar class. As the

contest winner, she received a Jerry’s Café gift card and earned the opportunity to

have her story published in Judson Today.

Each year, March Into Health is a month-long series of free events offered by Activate Elgin around

the community. Activate Elgin’s initiative promotes

an overall healthy quality of life to the Elgin community by the community. Another initiative offered by this organization provides 35-mini grants to multiple community organizations and businesses that allow them to create programs that can make Elgin a healthier place. They partner up with local organizations and businesses to provide educational health programs, wellness projects, and opportunities for fun physical fitness. This organization began in 2006 and has continued to grow over the years.

“March into Health has evolved into Activate Elgin’s premier event, focused on helping our residents understand how they can live a healthier and more active life,” says Elgin Parks and

Activate Elgin has developed the acronym PERSUADE to communicate its goal: • P roviding opportunities for physical activity for all • E ncouraging healthy eating through culturally-sensitive programs and education• R educing obesity and related health conditions• S upporting/partnering with other groups with similar goals to improve well-being• U sing every opportunity to make the healthy choice the easy choice• A dvocating for policy changes that support the development of healthy lifestyles• D eveloping measurement tools and collect data to track health impact• E ncouraging options for healthy eating and physical fitness in all work places

Recreation Director Randy Reopelle. “March into Health was created to address the obesity epidemic, which is a very big concern in our community.”

As Reopelle states, Elgin has suffered from an obesity epidemic. Now Activate Elgin, along with March Into Health, hope to educate and encourage the community to lead a well-balanced life, so that it becomes a habit and less of a chore. The events include physical fitness classes, nutritional education programs, as well as inspirational and motivational videos and speakers.

March Into Health focuses on teaching the community how to achieve a healthy lifestyle in a variety of forms. Some of the past events have included: Zumba dance classes, aerobics classes, and healthy cooking demos.

Activate Elgin is able to provide these events, due in part to partnerships within community partners, like Judson University and others. All in all, the program aims to promote a well-balanced quality of life in a fun, physical atmosphere. The goal is to let all ages enjoy the benefits of healthy living.

Learn more at: activateelgin.org

Literacy in Motion ConferenceJune 23 - 26

Orientation/RegistrationAugust 21 - 23

Fall Semester BeginsAugust 24

HomecomingOctober 1 - 3

WLF Inspirational SeriesOctober 12

Founders' DayOctober 16

A Day at Judson October 19

Fall Theatre ProductionOctober 23 - 24; 29 - 31

For more events visit JudsonU.edu/Calendar

UPCOMING JUDSON EVENTS

8 JUDSON today

J U D S O N N E W S

by Lisa Jones Townsel

Finding Freedom in the Beat of His Own Drum

If you’ve been on campus, you’ve likely already run into Andy Anderson ’12 walking backward on campus as he leads tour guests here and there. More than likely he also flashed that signature warm-and-whimsical smile; that’s just who he is.

But while the 27-year-old Youth Ministry and Adolescent Studies grad throws himself into his day job of being a campus tour guide (a role he’s held for more than a year), he is also passionate about something else: music. More specifically, drums.

In some ways, you could say that drums saved his life, or at least improved it.

As fate would have it, Andy’s dad attended Judson University as an adult student, graduating with a Youth Ministry degree in 1992, and Andy spent the first four years of his life right here on campus.

But when he was five, Andy was diagnosed with a mild form of Tourette Syndrome, a neurological disorder often characterized by involuntary muscle movements (tics), sounds or both.

For 10 years he took medicine for the disorder that caused him to blink and stutter, often making him the butt of jokes.

When Andy was 13, his dad took him and his older brother on a ride and asked each of them which instrument they wanted to learn to play. Neither boy gave his answer much thought. His brother blurted out, “The guitar.” Andy said the drums.

“He must have broke the bank that year,” Andy recalls, knowing his dad’s salary was meager at best. “It was one of the best

things he did for us. It saved our lives and kept me out of trouble – a lot of trouble.”

That gift began a lifelong preoccupation with an instrument that helped him to tune out the world and forget about his disorder.

At 15, when he went to an annual checkup to see his neurologist, Andy told the doctor that he didn’t need his medicine so much when he played the drums. He hasn’t taken his medication ever since.

Eventually, he would play drums throughout high school and part of college, playing alone and as part of bands – partly for fun and to self-medicate. He learned other coping mechanisms, too, like studying in dark, soundproofed places and training himself to be more deliberate about his language with others.

Now his sights are set on making custom drums as an aspiring master craftsman and sharing this gift of music with others. Last winter, this self-taught drum maker launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise capital to complete one or two drum sets to launch his business. He thought the process would take forever; but within a month, the project was completely funded, with a little to spare. For now, he makes his custom, well-crafted drum kits from his father-in-law’s basement, hence the name: Sublevel Drum Company.

Andy recently built a set of drums for Dark Room Studios, which is housed on the lower level of the Thompson Center. “It’s going to be on a bunch of records,” he says excitedly about the drum set that also led to him signing up Citizen Way drummer David Blascoe for an artist endorsement.

“My calling is to help others, and my outlet just so happens to be writing music and building drums. It may be totally different for someone else,” says Andy, who is also husband to wife Allie ’14 and dad to toddler son, Luke.

Interested in learning more about Sublevel Drum Company? Visit www.subleveldrumcompany.com.

SUMMER 2015 9

Spring Chapel Series Proves to be Successful

The semester kicked off with the songwriting and worship team from Harvest Bible Chapel, known as the Vertical Church Band.

Pediatric emergency room doctor Lina AbuJamra, who is also an avid blogger and Bible teacher at Willow Creek Community

Church, inspired with her words.For more than 10 years in a row, Second Baptist

Church Choir members roused people to their feet when they joined Judson for a joyous Martin Luther King Jr. Day chapel.New Community

Covenant Church lead pastor Peter Hong and

The Painted Door lead pastor Mark Bergin both brought a fresh word to campus this spring.

Judson alum Ed Gilbreath shed new light on the speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the African American History chapel service.

Judson students learned more about surrounding needs and neighborhoods during the Clifford Court chapel.

Judson alumnus Ian Simkins ’06 led the weeklong “Beauty in the Common” series that served as the backdrop for this spring’s Spiritual Enrichment Week.

One of the most celebrated moments on campus this year was when best-selling

author Bob Goff graced us with his presence,

humor and call of Christian action.

Spoken word artist Jackie Perry spoke openly and honestly about

hard issues facing youth today.Judson alumnus Aaron

Niequest ’98 introduced new ways to worship.

The Rev. Wilfredo de Jesus (better known as “Pastor Choco”) inspired the crowd with his testimony of working for God in the trenches of Chicago as lead pastor of New Life Covenant Church.

The spring chapel season at Judson University welcomed an exciting roster of guests!

SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH BOB GOFF

"PASTOR CHOCO"

IAN SIMKINS

10 JUDSON today

C A M P U S L I F E

A Dean’s List Honors Reception was held for about 75 traditional undergraduate students who made the dean’s list in the past year.

The 7eventh Time Down band joined with musical guests Cloverton and Mass Anthem for a rocked-out concert on campus last spring.

Austin Raboin, Kimberly Blake, Alexandra Raines and Patrick Thompson won a Stuart A. Ryder Scholarship at the Communication Arts Conference.

Illinois Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti filled hearts with inspiration during Judson's annual Community Prayer Breakfast.

Dr. Steven Layne spoke passionately about issues of literacy during the spring session of A Day at Judson.

Melodies came together seamlessly for the spring theatrical production of Harmony: A Night of Music and Movement.

Students were in full party mode during the annual Spring Fling.

Michael Card shared old and new songs during CWPA's Spring Concert.

SUMMER 2015 11

REAL LEARNING. Judson’s professors hold themselves and their students to the highest academic standards. But their expertise isn’t limited to ivory-tower theorizing, they have also been practitioners in the fields that they teach.

REAL LIFE. At Judson University, classroom excellence doesn’t stay in the classroom. Through internships, practicums, and student teaching, 90% of Judson students apply their learning in real-world settings while they are still in school.

Judson students go on to become graphic designers, architects, entrepeneurs, marketers, interior designers, worship leaders, artists, musicians, pastors, counselors, educators, and so much more!

DISCOVER IF JUDSON

IS a good fit FOR YOU

1151 N. State Street | Elgin, IL 60123 CALL. 847.628.2510 WEB. VisitJudson.com/JT

September 7, 2015October 11-12, 2015January 17-18, 2016

Visit us on Preview Days and find out!

Judson is ranked in the Top Tier, Midwest Best Colleges, U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges Survey

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lifelearning, Explore over 60 traditional undergraduate majors,

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12 JUDSON today

NEW MASTER PLAN

BY LISA JONES TOWNSEL

Sketches out spaces for living and learning

SUMMER 2015 13

The roll out of Judson’s Campus Master Plan did not occur by happenstance. It grew out of the establishment of the

university’s 2014-2019 Strategic Plan, which had as one of its goals to push forward a Campus Master Plan. One, two, even three approving formal groups would eventually vet the plan before it ever was introduced to the public.

But once it was created, Judson President Dr. Gene C. Crume and others felt pretty confident that the plan they had in hand was the best one for the university. The idea was to physically enhance the Judson campus to make it more aesthetically, spiritually and academically pleasing over the next ten years or more.

“There was a lot of time and energy put into looking at all sides. Everyone had a voice,” said Exercise and Sport Science Department Chair Dr. Cathy Headley, who served on the Campus Master Plan task force. “It was an ‘everybody wins’ story. We looked, and said, ‘This was the best from here, and this was the best from there,’ and then merged ideas together. That gave me confidence that this was God’s will.”

Judson partnered with Holland, Mich.-based GMB Architecture + Engineering for this mammoth project. From the beginning, Dr. Crume said the design firm met the university’s three-pronged standard: A company with a breadth of experience in landscaping, engineering, cohesion and building; a company with a similar spiritual understanding as Judson; and a company with existing partnerships or ties to Judson (and already three alumni are employed there.)

“They know schools like us,” Dr. Crume said. “They know how to design for small Christian campuses.”

Among the principals for this project are David Wilkins and Judson graduate Ben Scholten (’10, ’12). While proud to be at this stage in the process now, both men concede that getting the Campus Master Plan in place required a lot of heart and hard work.

Many steps, including data gathering, elevation assessments and funding options were all needed before drawing even one sketch. But once the parts and specifications were agreed upon, a college president’s dream started to take form.

The advent of such a plan gave Scholten many reasons to be proud: “As an alum, this has been incredibly exciting. I get goosebumps just thinking about all of the wonderful things that are going to happen on campus,” he said. “It’s all really relevant, possible and feasible.”

He has confidence that Judson’s leadership will guide the plan to fruition.“Our part is more graphical and deals with square footage. His is more about how to get the funds and approve the phases,” GMB’s Scholten said of Dr. Crume. “He was very involved, and is very knowledgeable.”

Dr. Crume says putting a Campus Master Plan in place was a natural progression for Judson. “Your physical environment is an important part of your strategic direction,” he said. “Having

inspiring places to teach, pastoral places to reflect on God’s grace and presence, having athletic venues that are first-class, all require resources and set a tone when people come to campus.”

In fact, Dr. Crume said devising a Campus Master Plan that considered everyone was paramount. “For students, it’s a source of inspiration. For adult students who are parents and busy adults, it serves their needs and is an extension of our services. For everyone, having the right type of space is important.”

Thankfully, Dr. Crume said it wasn’t necessary to reinvent the wheel. A number of renovation projects have been a part of Judson’s history; so he and his teams didn’t have to start from ground zero. “We are fortunate at Judson to have had very good foundational planning, which became the base that we worked from to create the Strategic and the Campus plans,” he said.

“What we create now builds on things that we’ve done,” he continued. “It builds on what has germinated over the years, in a strategic vision.” The last large on-campus project was the construction of the Harm A. Weber Academic Center, which opened in August 2007.

Yet, Judson’s Campus Master Plan does not reflect a single vision, but a collective one. Practically every faction of the JU community contributed to the plan to some degree. “Great plans and great visions have one thing in common – having many people speak into them,” Dr. Crume asserted. “That’s what it means to be in a community. We serve in the Elgin community, the alumni community and students. It makes their work more effective when they have a voice, a role.”

And, indeed, everyone in the Judson community will ultimately benefit from the Campus Master Plan, Dr. Crume insisted. “Ideally, it should benefit all of the campus community. It will benefit the faculty by having inspiring classrooms. Students will have great places to learn and grow. Alumni would be proud to come back. And, the community would have a value-added experience and enjoy coming to campus for programs. Everybody benefits by improving the quality of facilities.”

The best compliment an alum can give, he said, is when they come back and say, “‘I wish I had this when I went to Judson.’”

A brighter, more aesthetically pleasing campus becomes the eventual pride for everyone. “That’s the fun, engaging, dynamic for parents, students and donors,” Dr. Crume added.

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The Campus Master Plan was created over the past year; but the execution of its many pieces will take much longer. It will be unveiled in five phases over the next 10 years or so.

First, priorities had to be set. Dr. Crume and others had to decide what needed to be done first, and then second and third. “It went through a couple of different layers. There was a task force headed by Associate Vice President of Development Roger Brimmerman and Headley. And, we had the expertise of GMB, which helped us understand what could be done,” Dr. Crume said. “Then we had the Campus Master Plan strategic group. We were the final vote, the group that put the final stamp on the plan. But overall, there were five layers of making sure that we had our priorities correct. It was a pretty thorough process.”

Phase 1 will get underway over the next few months. As Dr. Crume described the plan: “It really focused on addressing the student needs, like the (addition of a) resident hall and renovating Lindner Tower.”

The new residence hall, he says, should help to “relieve some of the tightness in some of the other residence facilities” and give students more room choices.

Another integral part of Phase 1, and part of the university’s ongoing Strategic Plan, is a Universal Card System that would allow students to use “flex” dollars on campus and in downtown Elgin. “In a sense, that’s the one-card system, and it’s the goal,” Dr. Crume explained. “It will definitely shape the capital projects.”

The Phase 2 goal has several parts. One focus will be for Lindner Commons to serve as the student center building, and include an update of the food service workspaces in the dining hall. Creating a new academic building is a part of this phase, too, as well as

renovating the Lindner Fitness Center and the adjoining athletic fields.

There are solid plans for Phases 3, 4 and 5 also; however, they will only take shape once the first two phases have been fully funded. “We’ll need to see where we are with the first two phases, and see about our partnerships with the City of Elgin and others,” Dr. Crume said. “We want to be good stewards, and if partnership opportunities emerge, we want to be good stewards as they emerge.”

Some elements of this Campus Master Plan make it unique to Judson. While creating a good-looking campus is part of the focus; it’s not the entire goal. “(The campus) will remain Christ-centered and a part of prayer life. But people have referenced Judson for it being pastoral; and we don’t want to lose that feel,” Dr. Crume said of the campus’s serene grounds. “Chapel should be the physical, spiritual and emotional center here; the center point (on campus) that everything else pivots around, with limited roadway access. That’s one important way to take the faith life seriously.”

Judson’s physical location itself is an advantage. “We are blessed by three resources: Tyler Creek, Fox River and a rolling topography of trees, and green areas that connect to the river,” Dr. Crume said. “There’s a beautiful feel on campus, and it can be even more inviting, so the plan speaks to that, too. We need to build and design buildings around that.”

It might not hit everyone at the same time that this major venture is truly taking place, but it will in time. For some, it might be during the groundbreaking or ribbon cutting, Dr. Crume said. For others, it will be when buildings start to rise. “All of that is very exciting,” he said, adding, “But there will also be nonstop

CAMPUS MASTER PLAN: THE SEQUENCED PROJECTSBuild New Residence Hall

Lindner Tower RenovationAreas to be affected: Retail food service kiosk; the bookstore; Eagle Lounge; and may include a fourth floor buildout.

Lindner Commons Expansion/RenovationAreas to be affected: Post Office relocation; dining area expansion; Upper Commons renovation

Repurpose University CenterAreas to be affected: Main level classrooms; upper level residentials; Student Life building; suite and apartment housing; catalyst for Honors Program and other centers on campus.

Demolish Volkman HallAreas to be affected: Space opens for recreation field.

Build Second New Residence Hall

Renovate/Repurpose Creekside South

Renovate/Repurpose Plant Operations BuildingAreas to be affected: Building to be new home for Student Recreation Center, Health Services and Student Life.

SUMMER 2015 15

construction for the next decade.”Indeed such an ambitious plan does not come without its

challenges. While eventually there will be more buildings on campus and renovated spaces to enjoy, it will follow week upon week, and year upon year of construction. Dr. Crume said that means, for one, expect campus parking spots to be limited. “Construction trailers have to have a place to go,” he said. “We may have to have temporary office locations, and short-term facilities on campus. Some walkways may have to change. And there will be noise, too, that can cause disruption. Everyone will be inconvenienced to some degree.”

The end product will be a more beautiful campus, but it will be a long and possibly arduous process. “Early phases aren’t particularly pretty, so that all comes with progress and moving things forward.

“There’s a lot of short-term inconvenience too as you’re building and creating space,” he explained. “Some people will be displaced, which comes with capital projects. Everyone will need to understand that this is short term, and at the end of the process, it will be worth it.”

New buildings and renovated facilities do not automatically equal higher tuition as some might expect. “I think there’s a significant misconception that it has a direct link to tuition,” said Dr. Crume. “Funding a campus master plan is a uniquely complex process. We will have very creative partnerships, including partnering with the city and state to develop infrastructure and inviting people to be philanthropic partners. All of this is done

creatively to help keep tuition costs where they are and continue to make a Judson experience affordable to everyone.”

This is about more than creating attractive campus spaces, Headley said. “It’s about community. We’re creating a legacy,” she added. “We’re going from wide to narrow, and we’re all walking the same way, and following God’s path.”

Through it all, Dr. Crume encourages everyone to focus on the positive and to be patient. “God’s blessed us to create an amazing space. Don’t let the challenges overshadow the natural gift to transform our campus,” he said. “Be excited to see how you can engage in this process. We serve an infinite God. We can’t imagine how creative these new or renovated spaces will be once completed, or how he might use them. That’s the beauty of the Campus Master Plan. We’re creating space that will allow people to deepen their walk with Christ in ways that we can’t imagine.”

GMB Architecture + Engineering Launches Careers for Judson Grads and Current Students

I get goosebumps just thinking about all of the wonderful things that are going to happen on campus – Ben Scholten

Ben ScholtenBen graduated from Judson with a bachelor’s degree in

Architecture in 2010 and a master’s degree in Architecture in 2012. He joined GMB as an intern in 2010. His hard work and design talent earned him a full-time position upon graduation. His responsibilities include programming, design, interdisciplinary coordination, construction document production and construction administration. He is directly involved in the ongoing Campus Master Plan here at Judson.

Alex StuckeyAlex graduated from Judson University with a master’s degree in Architecture in 2013. But a year before that he served as an intern with GMB. His work ethic and talent earned him a position with the company after graduation. His design strength and computer savvy has him creating many of the firm’s 3-D models to assist clients in understanding the design concept for their facilities. He has also contributed his expertise to Judson’s Campus Master Plan.

Season GilliamSeason graduated from Judson with a bachelor’s degree in

Architecture in 2012. She joined GMB in February 2013 for a yearlong internship and quickly integrated into the GMB culture, assisting a variety of architectural design teams. Having just received her master’s degree in Architecture, she now becomes the newest Judson graduate to join the GMB team.

Alana CoyAlana joined GMB in May 2014 for a yearlong internship. She

has been working on many different projects to aid in the design process. Alana will return to Judson to work toward her Master of Architecture degree. 

16 JUDSON today

“I respect the American people. Mexican people have provided a considerable benefit to American society

for several decades. I believe more in bridges than fences. We cannot prosper without each other.” – Felipe Calderón

SUMMER 2015 17

CALDERÓN UPHOLDS RECORD, PREDICTS U.S./MEXICO FUTURE

When former Mexican President Felipe Calderón entered Herrick Chapel this past

March, it was to a standing ovation from a crowd of more than 400.

He was there as the guest speaker for the fifth annual World Leaders Forum event, a platform that has only been shared by an elite few, including George W. Bush, Mikhail Gorbachev, Tony Blair and Condoleezza Rice.

The former president of Mexico, who served the country from 2006 to 2012, wasted no time in getting to the heart of his presentation, “Leadership and the New Global Economy.”

Using slides as part of his speech, Calderón pointed out how he and his leadership team weathered drought, recession, health outbreaks and organized crime during his administration. Yet, they were also instrumental in implementing programs in Mexico that proved vital in the areas of energy, tax, healthcare, pensions and education.

“During my time as president, one of my top priorities was to improve Mexico’s market competitiveness,” said Calderón in his address. “I’m proud to say that today Mexico has free trade agreements with 44 countries, and Mexican products have access to more than one billion customers around the world.”

By the time he left office in 2012, Calderón said his exit strategy was simple: “to increase revenue and to reduce spending.” Over time, after taking some drastic and unpopular steps, he managed to do so, but at a cost.

In the end, there were more roads, more profitable businesses, more free trade and better schools. In fact, some of the changes that were made to Mexico’s educational system continue to show promise. During his time in office, 1,000 new high schools, 100 new colleges and 96 new campuses were added throughout the country, all pointing to an improved pool of

quality job applicants, especially engineers.Even migration improved. “The net migration

rate fell to zero,” Calderon says, pointing to the Pew Research Center that reports that as many people moved back to Mexico from the U.S., as vice versa in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

And today, he says that Mexico is the fourth largest exporter of cars, behind South Korea, Germany and Japan. “We recovered four times as many jobs as we lost during the crisis,” he said.

Calderón explained the intrinsic nature of the relationship that Mexico had with the United States, insomuch that when demand in the United States was low (as was the case during the U.S. recession), it had a direct and a devastating impact on Mexico. That was because, he says, “80 percent of all exports were to the United States.”

He still sees Mexico and America as friends and allies. “I respect the American people,” he said, adding, “Mexican people have provided a considerable benefit to American society for several decades. I believe more in bridges than fences. We cannot prosper without each other.” The audience erupted into applause.

While President Calderón has a presence on social media, he says it serves a specific purpose of listening to the people, although it often includes taking in lots of insults and threats in the process. But he adds, “You need to welcome it all.”

On a lighter note, during a question-and-answer session with event emcee, Fox News 32 anchor Melody Mendez, Calderón said the one thing people don’t know about him is that he enjoys “joking and singing.”

And when Mendez asked the quintessential Chicago question: Do you like deep dish or thin? He answered nobly: “I prefer tacos.” Again, the audience applauded feverishly.

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Having Calderon on the Judson campus was a great experience for everyone, from school leaders to students. “More than 43 percent of Elgin residents – and more than 12 percent of Judson students – are Hispanic, which is one of the many reasons why President Calderón is an ideal headliner for the World Leaders Forum,” said Judson University President Dr. Gene C. Crume. “Our hope is that by giving Judson students the opportunity to sit face-to-face with international leaders like President Calderón, they will be inspired to help shape the world.”

Calderón also spoke during a private VIP reception in downtown Chicago. Attendees of the VIP event, which included sponsors, entrepreneurs and elected officials, were able to have their photo taken with Calderón.

Among the Community Event attendees was Judson senior Helen Perez. “As a Hispanic student at Judson, the opportunity to interact with a brilliant world leader who is also Hispanic has been an invaluable and unforgettable moment in my college experience,” said Perez. She was able to attend the event thanks to the generosity of an event sponsor. Approximately 130 Judson students attended the event this year under the sponsored-ticket program.

“As a Hispanic student at Judson, the opportunity to interact with a brilliant world leader who is also Hispanic has been an invaluable and unforgettable moment in my college experience.” – Helen Perez ’15

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WORLD LEADERS FORUM VIP EVENT

Former President Calderón also traveled to Chicago to speak at a private VIP reception held for top-level sponsors, entrepreneurs and elected officials. The evening also included an invitation-only after-party at the Shedd Aquarium.

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F A C U L T Y

F A C U L T Y A C C O M P L I S H M E N T S

Brenda Buckley-Hughes, Ed.D., Chair, Speech Com-munication and Performing Arts, made a presentation in May on “Bibliodrama” and its application for prison chaplains (with insights from a 2014 grant from Vital Worship at Calvin Institute of Christian Worship) at the

Correctional Ministry 2015 Summit.

Joseph Rumenapp, Ph.D., Professor, Doctor of Education in Literacy Program, along with Brenda Buckley-Hughes, Ed. D., Chair, Speech Communica-tion and Performing Arts traveled to Ghana, Africa, with a doctoral candidate in March, to work with teachers and

students. They represented the Judson University Literacy doctoral program. The plan was to provide an ongoing opportunity for literacy graduate students to shape lives in the world.

Jeffrey O. Henderson ’91, Ph.D., Professor, Biology, Department of Science and Mathematics, along with student coauthors Katelyn Horgan ’13 and Kevin Lopez ’14, published the following articles in the Journal of Stu-dent Research, Volume 4, No 1 (2015): “Resistance genes

of Oryza sativa for protection against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae, the causative agent of bacterial leaf blight” (Co-authored with Horgan); “miRNA mediated posttranscriptional gene regulation in response to abiotic stress in plants” (Co-authored with Horgan); “Yeast Ssu72 pro-tein as a mediator of gene loop formation at bidirectional promoters” (Co-authored with Lopez). He also had four students present research projects at the 48th annual Associated Colleges of the Chicago Area (ACCA) Student Symposium on April 18 at Concordia University Chi-cago, and he moderated a biology oral presentation session. Addition-ally, he was promoted to full professorship in March 2015.

Julene Ensign, M.S., Assistant Professor, Exercise and Sport Science, received the Laura J. Huelster Award from the University of Illinois, her alma mater. This was a $2,000 award given to only three graduate students in the Col-lege of Applied Health Sciences’ Department of Kinesiol-

ogy and Community Health. The ceremony was in April in Urbana, Ill. She also received funding for ongoing longitudinal research work with beginning teachers. The first phase of the research has been for her dissertation project and involved studying first-year physical educa-tors as they encountered the realities of their first jobs. During the next phase, she will follow the teachers through their second work year. The Jump Rope and Hoops for Heart Foundation awarded her a grant for $3,499 to be used over the next two years. It was made available through the Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education, Recre-ation, and Dance (IAHPERD), Illinois’ arm of SHAPE America (Society for Health and Physical Education).

Cathy Headley, Ph.D., Chair, Associate Professor, Exercise and Sport Science Department, contributed a poster presentation on social support and the percep-tion of leisure and the fear of falling at the Gerontological Society of America annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.,

last November. She made a presentation entitled, “If I knew then what I know now about falls,” as part of Judson’s Falls Prevention Awareness Day on September 23. She spoke on the topic of "Intergenerational Learning: Engaging the Community” at the Christian Society of Kinesi-ology and Leisure Studies’ annual meeting in Messiah College, Penn., last June. Most recently, she became a recipient of a Walking College Fellowship from America Walks, a national advocacy organization that promotes walking and walkable communities.

Jim Halverson, Ph.D., Professor, History, and Robert Wallace, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Biblical Studies, presented “Making a Big Class Small: Active Learn-ing, Accountability and Assessment in the

General Education Survey,” at the Associated Colleges of the Chicago Area’s Scholarship of Pedagogy Symposium at Elmhurst College last November and at the annual meeting of the Higher Learning Commis-sion this past March in Chicago.

A. Gillian Stewart-Wells, Ph.D., Co-chair, Graduate Programs in Literacy Education, and Director, Doctor of Education in Literacy School of Education, chaired a session entitled, “Culturally Responsive Teaching in the Literacy Classroom,” during the 64th Annual Literacy

Research Association Conference in Marco Island, Fla., last December.

Kristen Stombres, M.Ed., Associate Professor, Judson Teacher Education Program, co-presented, “Find-ing a New Normal with Autism Spectrum Disorders,” at the 52nd Annual International Learning Disabilities Conference in Chicago on Feb. 20. She also presented

a workshop entitled, “Autism Spectrum Disorders: Helping Clients, Families and Teachers,” at an in-service for TriCity Family Services in Geneva, Ill., on April 17.

Sojung Lee Hong, D.M.A., Associate Professor, Music, performed two classical/sacred concerts in Life Univer-sity’s Aaron Hall in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, on May 7 and May 8. She also gave a lecture on worship music to theology students at the university.

Warren J. Anderson, D.W.S., Director, Center for Wor-ship in the Performing Arts, conducted the Huntley Brown Orchestra on May 1 at West Aurora High School in Aurora, Ill., for a fundraising concert for Covenant Christian School.

Dave Sanders, D. Min., Professor, Christian Ministries, co-authored two articles for Officers’ Christian Fellow-ship’s COMMAND Magazine entitled, “How to Build a RAFT When PCSing” and “Mary Poppins and Chain of Command.” He also developed and presented a training

seminar on “Millennials in Ministry” at the Military Community Youth Ministries’ (MCYM) flagship conference last October and at the MCYM staff conference last November.

Faculty FarewellsJudson has been blessed to be the home for numerous rising stars in their fields. These faculty and staff members have graced us with their presence for years. Please help us in saying goodbye to:

Don Ferrell, ’68, Director, Judson Counseling Center, who is retiring after 10 years as the center director. Ferrell has also worked as a faculty member and dorm parent.

Keith Jenkins, MBA, Associate Professor, Information Technology Systems, was recently named Professor Emeritus before retiring. He will continue to teach online courses for the School of Business and Professional Studies.

SUMMER 2015 21

Judson University is a special place because of its mission and because of the people who steward and experience its mission. The recent changes in leadership and management of the university mark a time of continued development.

One change that has taken place in the past two years is the development of the next generation of the Campus Master Plan. One of the first conversations I had with Judson President Dr. Gene C. Crume upon his arrival in 2013 had to do with recent campus development history and the state of the Campus Master Plan. Former Judson President Dr. Jerry B. Cain and I had worked together on various aspects of the Campus Master Plan for several years prior. Because the Campus Master Plan is tied directly to so many aspects of the health of the institution, it occupied a place of great importance for the new president as well. The state of the physical campus affects everything from new student enrollment and existing student and employee satisfaction to everyone’s wellbeing. The Campus Master Plan is a regularly developing document that responds to the short- and long-term physical needs of the university.

The Campus Master Plan grew out of, and alongside, the university’s Strategic Plan. As the Strategic Planning process unfolded from 2013 to 2015, the Campus Master Plan was developed by Holland, Mich.-based architecture firm, GMB Architecture + Engineering. Many architecture graduates from Judson have found GMB to be a supportive and like-minded office to begin their practice careers; and the Department of Architecture has a great relationship with the office.

GMB completed its planning work in 2014, drawing together existing campus physical plant information and preparing a compendium report that looks forward to meeting future needs. Since many of the staff architects at GMB are Judson graduates, the planning document benefitted from a great deal of campus cultural insight. It is really remarkable for an architecture program to be given the liberty to contribute directly to campus planning in this way. Architecture students have had wonderful opportunities over the years to contribute to the plan, and alumni are now assisting in making it a reality. These real-world experiences for Judson graduates complete the circle of aptitude, education and experience so cherished in architecture education.

The Campus Master Plan is a roadmap through anticipated future renovations and improvements of the built environment of the university. Through the next several years, many aspects of the physical planning and development of the campus will be guided by the direction provided by all stakeholders of the university through the work of the President’s Office and GMB.

Keelan KaiserProfessor of Architecture

Next Giant Leap for GrowthF A C U L T Y V O I C E

Professor Keelan Kaiser poses with Eric Blowers, a 2015 M.Arch graduate, and his Best of Show/Architecture entry in the Juried Student Show. The project was of a hypothetical student center for Judson University, which builds on the new Campus Master Plan.

Photo by Betsy Blowers

Nick Vujicic, of Melbourne, Australia, faces life each day without ever using hands, arms, legs, or feet. That is because he was born without any limbs. Yet maneuvering around with severe disabilities has done little to deter him from living a “ridiculously good” life and encouraging others to do the same. Now, the 31-year-old husband and dad travels the world over as a successful motivational speaker and New York Times best-selling author, telling people to hold on to their dreams, their hopes, and to Jesus Christ.

Questions? Contact Jessica Bunn at jessica.bunn@JudsonU.edu or 847.628.2076

Legacy grads

Catherine Street with sister Rebekah ’12 and mother Fran, Judson Trustee

David Mackh with brother Nate ’08 and sister-in law Sara ’08

Sivy Bienert with brother Nathan ’01 and husband Carey Bienert ’14

Ruth Herlache with mother Ruth ’05

Brandon Edgar with stepmother Kim ’12

Robert E. Davis with mother Merle ’00 and aunt Jackie Dussard ’06

Derek Talbot with brother Brad ’10

David Pearson with wife Melissa Pearson ’03

Meredith Kennedy with father John ’80 and mother Margie ’85

LEGACYgrads

Gabriela Nevius with husband Nate ’13

Leslie Horn with sister Julie ’01

Jane Brennan with brother Patrick ’09

Wayne Pearson with son Kyle ’11

Gabriele Pflaum with sister, Andrea ’10, brother-in-law Aaron ’08, sister Eva ’12 and brother-in-law Ryan Reopelle ’12

Jill Rodriguez with daughter Elizabeth ’13

JUDSON 2017 CRUISEJanuary 8 - 15

Royal CaribbeanAllure of the Season

Learn More atCruiseDreamsGroups.com/

JudsonUniversity

• Travel with Judson and enjoy concerts at sea with alum Huntley Brown ‘88.

• Experience the Western Caribbean with ports in Ft. Lauderdale; Cozumel, Mexico; Falmouth, Jamaica and Labadee, Haiti

SUMMER 2015 23

24 JUDSON today

Join the Judson University Alumni Club and you will be helping your alma mater while enjoying savings exclusively for Alumni Club members! Go to JudsonU.edu/Alumni for more information. We want to know what our illustrious alumni are up to, so be sure to notify us of your latest personal and professional achievements. Alumnotes are published in each printed issue of Judson Today. Please submit news and photos for inclusion in the next issue of Judson Today by October 1. Digital photos may be submitted in JPG format and should not exceed 5MB in size. If you would like fellow alumni to be able to contact you, please submit your email address with your alumnote.

ALUMnotes

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Please send your Alumnote to: Judson University Alumni Office

1151 N. State Street | Elgin, IL 60123

Call. 847.628.2083 | Fax. 847.628.1027Email. Alumni@JudsonU.edu

Darryl Pearson ’07/’09 married Jennifer Smart on Oct. 4, 2014, at Elgin Evangelical Free Church with Pastor Elliott Anderson ’89 officiating. Alumni in the wedding party included groomsmen Matt Kidd ’07, Matt Ackerman ’07, Jeremy Coleman ’07 and Jack Clark ’07, as well as ushers David Pearson ‘10 and Sam Hurst ‘07. Darryl works at Awana International as a facilities engineer and the happy couple resides in Carpentersville, Ill.

Lauren and Dean Gudeman ’09 announce the birth of their son, Clark Gregory, on November 13, 2014, weighing 8 lbs. and 9 oz. Dean works as a project manager for DSI, Inc. in South Elgin, Ill., and the Gudemans reside in Genoa, Ill.

Jillian Los ‘11 and Thomas Cannon were married on Sept. 20, 2014, at the Delavan Christian Reformed Church with a reception that followed in a greenhouse at the Cannon family farm in Burlington, Wis. Katherine Giggie ‘11 was a bridesmaid in the wedding. The couple resides in Camp Lake, Wis., where they purchased their first home this past year and are both currently employed at Allied Plastics in Twin Lakes, Wis.

Adam Westhauser ’13 was engaged to Kelsey Boel on Feb. 8, 2015. The happy couple will marry on July 19, 2015, in Louisville, Ky. Adam is a program leader for Boosterthon and resides in Memphis, Tenn.

Jack Chasteen ’71 retired on Sept. 26, 2014, from Bellwood Development Center, formerly known as Aspire of Illinois, an intermediate care facility for the developmentally disabled. Jack, who resides in Naperville, Ill., had worked at Bellwood and Aspire for more than 26 years.

Teresa Peters ’73 retired in August 2013. She went with Grace Church in Chester, Ill., to Mexico over the Christmas holidays to build homes for the homeless. Teresa lives in Perryville, Mo.

Barb (Rokosz ’79) Dohrmann and husband Eric, a graduate of Trinity Divinity School, are pioneering a new church called God’s Family Church in Indianapolis. Eric is the author of the Family Bible Studies series, Books 1 and 2, which are available through Amazon.

Marcia (Stuck) Thompson ‘87/’12 was recently recognized in the prestigious group of 2015 Golden Apple Finalists out of a pool of more than 600 nominees. The Golden Apple Foundation recognizes the state’s best teachers for their role in building a stronger, better-educated society. Marcia is a kindergarten teacher at Fox Meadow Elementary School and resides in South Elgin, Ill.

Rev. Dr. Robert A. Henderson ’89 completed four units of Clinical Pastoral Education in 2012 and recently accepted the position of Director of Pastoral Care at Decatur Memorial Hospital in a partnership with First Christian Church of Decatur. The Henderson family resides in Lincoln, Ill.

In November 2014, Jodi Beach ’92 released a new inspirational CD entitled, "You Are Not Alone." The CD features five original songs and eight inspirational classics. One song is recorded with the late Otis Skillings and one with Huntley Brown ’88 on the keys.

Kristy Engel ’92 was named health care relief resource global consultant on Feb. 1, 2015, for American Baptist International Ministries (IM). Kristy is a longtime missionary with IM and now is IM’s first global consultant with a focus in health care. As a first step into her future role as global consultant, Kristy volunteered to serve with Medical Teams International in Liberia. She helped local MTI staff members at almost 130 non-Ebola health facilities in November and December 2014, during the height of the Ebola outbreak. On December 10, Time magazine announced that its "Person of the Year" recognition for 2014 would go to the Ebola fighters. Kristy, an Ebola fighter, was among the group recognized. She resides in Atlanta, Ga.

Matt Barnes ’95 was named head coach of the men’s soccer program at San Francisco State in July 2014. The inaugural campaign under Matt’s leadership far exceeded expectations for the San Francisco State men’s soccer team. He continues his tradition built on his last three coaching stops of inheriting a program with a losing record and creating a tradition of winning. Matt was inaugurated in Judson University’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009.

Traci Richter ’98 was hired as senior vice president, private banking with Associated Bank in November 2014. Traci has 14 years of private banking experience in the Rockford, Ill., area. She also serves on the boards of Crusader Community Health, The First Tee of Greater Rockford and Annie’s Locker.

Darren Wilson ’98 and Wanderlust Productions moved their production house from Judson University to Greenville, S.C., in January 2015. Wanderlust’s latest effort, "Holy Ghost," was seen by more than one million people during its free 48-hour online premiere.

In September 2014, Eddie Combs ’99 was named senior vice president, marketing for the Guitar Center. Eddie was former Chief marketing officer at Sears and joined Guitar Center to oversee new retail marketing initiatives with an emphasis on innovation and an omni-channel approach. Eddie resides in the Los Angeles area.

Brandon Bower ’99 recently started a new non-profit biblical life recovery addictions center in Ft. Wayne, Ind. Brandon’s heart was stirred in his psychology classes back at Judson where the dream

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was first born. Learn more about this ministry at Facebook.com/LighthouseRecoveryCenter. Jason Bentsen ’00 recently accepted the position of Director of Church Engagement with The Forgotten Initiative, which is the foster care ministry of Lifesong for Orphans. Jason serves, resources and equips churches as they care for their local foster care community and advocates for children in foster care who are currently available for adoption. The Bentsen family resides in Joliet, Ill.

Andrew Banks ‘09/ ’11 was honored to have one of his original sketches featured on the cover of Stillman and Birn sketchbooks that are being circulated in art supply stores across the country. He was recently commissioned by Northwestern University for his watercolor renderings and continues to build his art business full time (andrewbanksillustration.com.) Andrew resides in Chicago with his wife, Becca.

In August 2014, Heather (Kusch ’00) Johnson was inducted into the National Junior College Region IV Hall of Fame for Basketball and Track and Field, Class of 2014. Heather spoke to the student athletes at Harper College before receiving the award and was supported by her family and friends, including Sheryl (Jedd ’02) Bianchin.

On Oct. 1, 2014, Erik Abrahamsen ’10 was appointed to agent of his own State Farm Insurance agency in Rockford, Ill. Erik graduated from the MAOL program in 2010 and now is a small business owner. The Abrahamsen family resides in Machesney Park, Ill.

Benjamin Glunz ’10/’12 received the 2014 Congress for the New Urbanism Illinois Charter Award for the Best Block, Street and Building (Academic Project) at the December Charter Awards Banquet at the Cliff Dwellers Club, Chicago. Ben is president of Anguleris Technologies and resides with his wife Cherise ’13 in Elgin, Ill.

In his second season as a professional player, Caleb Sutton ’12 was added to the roster of Traku KK Trakai, a team in the Lithuanian National Basketball League. In March 2012, Caleb was contacted

by the American Basketball League, a new development league for Fédération Internationale de Basketball Amateur, or the professional European NBA, which began his journey as a professional player.

Judson alumni and friends enjoyed the 2015 Judson Cruise with the President to the Caribbean with Ben Calhoun ’03 leading concerts at sea. Guests included Linda (Hazelwood ’74) Figgins, Carla Husted, Gail Hazelwood, Richard Hazelwood, Heather McSmith, Kevin McSmith, Michael Huff, Patricia Huff, Tom Greeno, Terri Greeno, Doug McAllister, Janet McAllister, Jack Shales, Marlene Shales, Orville Pelletier, Joan Pelletier, Audry Sidlo, Lynn McAllister, George Calhoun, Lanette Calhoun, Ben Calhoun ’03, Alison Calhoun ’06, Savannah Calhoun, Ava Calhoun, Gene Crume, Cindy Crume, Gene Crume III, Tom Bienert and Bonnie Bienert.

In January 2015, alumni and friends gathered at various Florida regional gatherings. Pictured are Janet (Van de Walker ’68) Thommes, Harold Blatt, George Van Natta ’80 and Ruth (Platz ’71) Ernst, who joined other Judson friends for a luncheon at Janet’s home in The Villages.

On February 28, Judson students, alumni and staff traveled to Belize for the second annual alumni/student mission trip. In partnership with Thirst Missions, our team serves the small village of San Antonio in northern Belize. Alumni for the 2015 team included Ian Simkins ’06, Micah Shadowen ’09 and Christine TreDenick ’09.

Izora Armacost ‘97January 10, 1975 – December 6, 2014

Michael Derry ‘67January 28, 1947 – January 24, 2015

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JUDSON ATHLETICS SPRING WRAP-UP

Head baseball coach Rich Benjamin assumed the position of Director of Athletics at Judson University in June. Former Athletic Director Joel Cotton will continue in his role as the head men’s basketball coach, and Benjamin will continue in his current role of head baseball coach.

Rich Benjamin Named New Director of Athletics

Men’s BasketballThird-year coach Joel Cotton and the

Eagles finished the 2014-15 season with a 5-25 record. The Eagles enjoyed a four-game winning streak over Christmas break, but could not maintain momentum in the difficult Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC). Sophomore Andrew Eck was the team’s most valuable player as he led the Eagles in scoring by averaging 12.7 points per game. He also finished ninth in the NAIA in 3-point field goal percentage, shooting 45.6 percent from behind the arc. Eck was named to the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) All-Region team for his on-court performance.

He also achieved high honors in the classroom, earning NAIA, NCCAA and CCAC Scholar-Athlete honors.

Women’s BasketballKristi Cirone completed her third year of

guiding the Lady Eagles, and her team continues to show improvement. The team

finished 11-20 on the season with a CCAC conference record of 7-11. Judson hosted a postseason CCAC tournament game against conference-rival Trinity Christian

College. The Eagles had defeated the Trolls twice earlier in the season, but fell short

in the tournament, 57-52 to end the season.The team was led all season by sophomore

Kelli Ludwig, averaged 13.7 points per game and also led the team in steals and 3-point field

goals. Ludwig was recognized on the CCAC All-Conference Honorable Mention team, as well as being named to the NCCAA All-Region team.

Judson Eagles Baseball and Softball Teams Go for the Winby Brandon Fowkes

Judson's baseball team completed another successful season finishing with an overall record of 40-20, and a conference record of 18-11. This marks the team's fifth consecutive season with 40-plus wins, third consecutive CCAC tournament championship and fourth consecutive bid to the NAIA National Tournament. The Eagles had six All-Conference selections, including two Gold Glove winners. Senior Andrew Bergmann led the team as an NAIA All-American second team, NCCAA North Central All-Region team selection and NCCAA North Central Region Pitcher of the Year. Judson swept the NCCAA North Central Region as Luke Rojas won Player of the Year and Rich Benjamin won Coach of the Year.

The Lady Eagles had an impressive season ending with an overall 37-17-1 record and one of their best conference records in four years at 18-3-1. Judson received its first No. 1 seed at the NCCAA Softball World Series and had three NCCAA All-American selections. The Eagles also boasted four CCAC All-Conference selections and four NCCAA North Central All-Region team selections. Leading the way for Judson was junior Brianna Tennyson. Tennyson received NCCAA All-American second team, NCCAA North-Central All-Region team, NCCAA North Central Region Pitcher of the Year, CCAC All-Conference first team, NAIA Scholar Athlete and was the "Game Plan 4 Life" award winner. Murielle Vansach also received her second NCCAA All-American first team selection, was named to NCCAA North Central All-Region team and was a CCAC All-Conference first team selection.

A T H L E T I C S

SUMMER 2015 27

Program Inspires Softball Player to be a Campus Leader

Judson is proud of the 2015 student athletes, who aced their goals in class and on the field and court. This year, Judson honored (l. to r.) the Female Student Athlete of the Year: Angela Bianchi (soccer); Male Student Athlete of the Year: Andrew Bergmann (baseball); Female Scholar Athlete of the Year: Rebekah Tabb (basketball); and Male Scholar Athlete of the Year: Andrew Eck (basketball).

Judson Eagles Honor Student Athletes

Madalyn (Maddie) Smith ’16, of Mishawaka, Ind., is a game changer. As the starting catcher on Judson’s softball team, she knows what it takes to be an effective team player. But as one of the 13 student athletes selected to participate in the 2014 NAIA/Red Cross Collegiate Leadership Program, she developed into a true leader.

The two-week conference, which was held in the nation’s capital, taught Maddie about project building, team work and dreaming big. And like always, she came through. She is the second student from Judson to attend the conference. Women’s cross-country and track and field athlete Stephanie Belokon participated in 2011.

“Maddie was an obvious choice and stood out from the hundreds of applications we received,” says Brian L. Hamil, national chair of the Biomedical Services for American Red Cross. “During our week together in D.C., I was able to get to know Maddie better, and it reaffirmed why she was selected. She is an engaging communicator, a great teammate and friend, and understands what it takes to be a committed leader. I look forward to seeing the great things Maddie accomplishes on behalf of the American Red Cross during her time at Judson.” 

 Those two weeks paid off in ways that this junior Education major could have never imagined. “It was the greatest experience of my life,” Maddie says. “To live with other athletes from Alabama, Georgia, California, and being in the room with other people who were just like me, we wanted to push our limits and bring back to our campus things that were useful for so many other people.”

Maddie made good on that opportunity. As a program participant, she planned, organized and hosted three on-campus blood drives. Her first was in October. Though the project required a lot of work, Maddie could not have been more proud of her success. For that first blood drive her goal was to have 71 people donate blood, and 100 to sign up to give a donation. She came pretty close.

“There were about 85 people who showed up to donate. In the end, we got 62 units when our goal was 71,” she said days after hosting her first blood drive “Sixty-two is still a great number, and it is going to save 186 lives! I loved every second of it.” Ultimately, 160 pints were collected.

Congratulations to Judson lead pitcher, Ryan Perez of Hampshire, Ill., who was selected in the 12th round of the MLB 2015 Draft by the Cleveland Indians! Perez’s dad starting grooming him to become an ambidextrous baseball pitcher at age four! You can read more about his ascension to Major League Baseball on the Judson Athletics homepage: JudsonEagles.com

Moving up to the Majors!

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By Tara García Mathewson

America’s Pastime Keeps Elgin Family Dedicated to Judson

Former Judson President Jerry B. Cain stepped out of his office after a spring thunderstorm back in 2010 and saw a beautiful display in the eastern sky. A perfect rainbow lit up the gray as sun peeked out from behind the clouds. It led directly to the baseball field’s scoreboard, highlighting the Hoffer Plastics sign in the distance. Cain snapped a photo and sent it to Bill Hoffer, reminding him that his dad was looking over the program from above.

Hoffer said that single photo epitomizes the Hoffer family’s long connection to Judson University. He keeps it behind his desk at Hoffer Plastics Corp., in Elgin, Ill., where he is president of the company his parents founded in 1953 and grew into a 365,000-square-foot, bustling campus.

Judson’s baseball field is named for Robert A. and Helen Hoffer, recognizing their decades of support for the athletics program.

“We go all the way back to the beginning of Judson itself,” Bill Hoffer said. He remembers attending the dedication ceremony for Judson when he was in high school. While the Hoffer family has sent most of its members to Purdue University, Robert Hoffer held an honorary degree from Judson before his death in 2007 at age 87; and the family has always had a special place

in its heart for Elgin’s only university.

The elder Hoffers helped fund field enhancements and new construction through The Hoffer Foundation for decades, a habit Bill Hoffer, his siblings, and some of their children have continued since they took over the decision-making for the Foundation.

The latest gift came in 2014, a sum of money that allowed Judson to FieldTurf the baseball diamond’s infield. The special material eliminates maintenance costs by 80 to 90 percent and reduces the damage done by spring storms. The Hoffers’ support has made Judson’s field into one of the top facilities in the Midwest.

The donations have been well received. Hoffer said the entire baseball team filed into his father’s funeral as a group, a touching gesture of support and acknowledgement.

“It really has been a feel-good situation all around,” he said.

The Hoffer Foundation contributes to a number of causes in and around the Elgin

community, donating up to $300,000 every year. The Foundation’s purpose is to support nonprofit organizations, including charities, religious organizations, educational institutions, and scientific bodies.

When it comes to Judson, Hoffer said he doesn’t know why anyone wouldn’t be interested in donating to the university.

“We certainly appreciate their culture and their Christian beliefs,” Hoffer said. “They’re just a marvelous resource on our local level.”