30 Apr HU Student TV’s Take on the New President

Here is a short news report by HTV, the student-run Huntington University TV station, about the section of Dr. Sherilyn Emberton as the new university president.

29 Apr HTV News and Dr. Sherilyn Emberton

Blair Caldwell, a student reporter with HTV, the Huntington University student-run TV station, conducted this short interview with Dr. Sherilyn Emberton, who will become the new college president on June 1.

28 Apr Occupational Therapy Programs Coming

Last week, the Huntington University board of trustees approved launching graduate-level–both masters and doctorate–programs in occupational therapy as early as fall of 2014. This will be the university’s first doctorate-level degree.

The graduate programs will be located within the new Life Science Education and Research Consortium of Northeast Indiana at the Parkview Randallia campus in Fort Wayne. The programs will build on Huntington’s undergraduate degrees in exercise science, nursing, and allied health.

“Occupational therapy is an in-demand field which is expected to continue to grow in coming years,” said Dr. Ann McPherren, senior vice president for strategy. “This is an exciting opportunity for the university to build on the already strong health careers in the Fort Wayne area”

The program has received a high-level of interest, with more than 50 inquiries from prospective students.

Through the consortium, the university is currently offering bachelor’s degree programs in human resource management, not-for-profit leadership, and RN to BSN degree completion, as well as a Master of Counseling program.

28 Apr HU Approves Branch Campus in Arizona

The Huntington University Board of Trustees approved a proposal to create a campus in Peoria, Ariz. (the greater Phoenix area). The city of Peoria will vote on it later this spring. The campus could open as early as spring of 2014.

In October 2012, Huntington University entered into a 180-day exclusive negotiating agreement with the Peoria to begin talks of what a potential branch campus could mean for both entities. Since then, university administrators have met with city officials to determine location, programs, and funding sources.

The campus would feature programs such as digital media arts, exercise science, nursing, ministry and missions, education, and counseling psychology. Two other institutions, Trine University of Angola, Ind., and St. Scholastica College of Duluth, Minn., are also planning to offer degree programs in Peoria. Each university would offer different academic majors to students based on its unique institutional strengths.

The Huntington campus will look to attract students who are seeking a Christ-centered, professionally sound, and community connected education. The campus will also offer the opportunity for students at the Huntington campus to study in Arizona for full semesters or for shorter term classes.

26 Apr Bishop Whipple on the New President and the Process

Bishop Phil and Sandy Whipple at a Huntington University reception for Dr. Sherilyn Emberton.

“Dr. Emberton will be a very good president for us,” Bishop Phil Whipple said about Dr. Sherilyn Emberton, the next president of Huntington University.

“She’s down to earth, and puts people at ease. I think she will relate to anyone in our churches. And yet, she has the pedigree in education that will be a great attraction to faculty.”

Bishop Whipple was part of the 14-member Presidential Advisory Task Force which conducted most of the search process. The group included nine Board of Trustees members and five faculty or staff of the university. One other United Brethren minister was part of that group: Gary Dilley, senior pastor of College Park UB church in Huntington, Ind. Former bishop Paul Hirschy coordinated prayer efforts for the process.

Dr. Emberton speaking at the introductory press conference on Friday afternoon, April 26.

They hired Carter-Baldwin Executive Search, a firm which has helped fill positions at other Christian colleges as well as at major corporations. The managing partner, Price Harding, spearheaded the search efforts.

“Price Harding did a remarkable job,” said Bishop Whipple. “He’s a first-class Christian gentlemen who led us well in the whole search process. It made it easy for the team to wade through a lot of information.

“We ended up actually looking at 28 of the resumes that came in. We whittled them down to ten persons. Price Harding had face-to-face conversations with those ten persons and sent us his notes. With that information, we got it down to four persons.”

The task force members spent two days in Indianapolis interviewing the four finalists, two persons each day.

“I was really wowed by Dr. Emberton in Indianapolis,” said Bishop Whipple. “We saw two people the first day, and she stood out—and continued to stand out—as a star. She speaks with a lot of confidence, and has clear leadership gifts. I wondered how I would feel about her when I saw her again, but there was no change. She was the same kind of person I saw in Indianapolis.

“I liked the other candidates, but I really had a sense that God was orchestrating something unique and special with what she brings to the table. She’s currently in a denominational school and sees value in that. She is excited about becoming part of the United Brethren church.”

Those 14 persons did an initial vote, and 13 of them identified Dr. Emberton as their first choice. The other person listed her second, but was perfectly willing to go along with the group. So when the advisory task force gave their final vote, it was unanimous.

And when the Board of Trustees voted on April 26, it, too, was unanimous.