Huntington University will launch a graduate program in occupational therapy in the fall of 2014. The university is currently searching for a director to create the master’s and doctoral level degree programs. This will be the university’s first doctorate degree.

The graduate programs will be located within the new Life Science Education and Research Consortium of Northeast Indiana, which will open on the Parkview Randallia campus in Fort Wayne, Ind.

“Occupational therapy is an in-demand field which is expected to continue to grow given recent medical developments with stroke survivors as well as people recovering from joint and hip replacements,” said Dr. Norris Friesen (right), senior vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty. “Given the interest in exercise science, our mission and the fact that there are no other similar programs in our area, this is a very unique opportunity for us to influence the next generate of occupational therapists with an accredited program that seeks to integrate God’s message of grace and love by helping people regain their strength and abilities to live full and fruitful lives.”

Read more.

Huntington University’s student newspaper, The Huntingtonian, earned first place with special merit in the 2012 American Scholastic Press Association’s newspaper competition.

The Huntingtonian was judged among hundreds of other schools across the country. First place with special merit is given to those schools with “special and outstanding design and content,” according to the ASPA.

“You have an excellent student newspaper, which shows the creativity and journalistic knowledge of your editors, reporters, writers, photographers, layout/graphics designers and advisor,” said one of the ASPA judges.

The ASPA graded the publications on content coverage, page design, general plan, art, advertising and illustrations, editing, and creativity.

Four years ago, Huntington University created a program to promote a more racially and ethnically diverse campus. This spring, the university will graduate its first students from that program.

Launched in the fall of 2008, the Horizon Leadership Program is a partnership between Huntington University and Youth for Christ USA. A cohort of students from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds is selected each year to receive the Horizon Leadership Scholarship. A combination of federal, state and institutional aid, the scholarship covers all fees associated with tuition and housing costs for up to 10 semesters.

On May 12, Logan Placencia of Auburn, Ind., Evianna Monroe of the Bronx, N.Y., Christopher Burton of Rock Island, Ill., and Shar’Niese Miller of Fort Wayne, Ind., will be the first Horizon graduates. Since their arrival on campus four years ago, more than 20 students have followed in their footsteps, including six students selected for the 2012-13 school year.

“When I consider the paths that the members of this graduating class have traveled in order to arrive at this moment, I can’t help but to be amazed, inspired and encouraged,” said the Rev. Arthur Wilson (right), who led the Horizon program over the past four years.

The program has had an “immensely positive” impact on the campus culture, according to Dr. Ron Coffey, vice president for student life.

“This program has introduced the typical student body to people who might not look like them or talk like them, but through living and studying with each other, students started to see that they had more in common than not,” said Horizon recipient and 2012 graduate Christopher Burton. “The Horizon program has helped HU begin to reflect the real world. You now see light faces, dark faces, faces of color all around campus. And that’s a true reflection of how the world is.”

Over the past four years, the Horizon program has welcomed more ethnically diverse students to HU and has helped the university move closer to its goal: To create a more diverse campus, even outside of the program.

“By almost any metric, the program has been a success,” said Jeff Berggren (right), senior vice president for enrollment management and marketing. “Just consider that in the first year of the Horizon program in 2008 we enrolled more new minority students than we had enrolled in our entire student body the previous year of 2007,”

A one-day United Brethren History Course will be held May 8 in Fort Wayne, Ind. The course is a requirement for ministerial licensing in the United Brethren church. However, people who just want to learn more about United Brethren history are free to take it.

Date: Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Time: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Location: Emmanuel Community Church
Address: 12222 W Jefferson Blvd, Fort Wayne, IN 46814
Phone: 260-672-3377

The cost is:

  • $200, if you are seeking a national conference ministerial license.
  • $100 for everyone else.
  • $19.90 for “Trials and Triumphs,” a history of the United Brethren church. You MUST have a copy of the book for the class. Order a copy from Healthy Ministry Resources by calling toll-free: 888-622-3019.

For more information and to register….

After leading the student body for a year in the interim, Rev. Arthur Wilson (right) has been named the new campus pastor of Huntington University.

“Arthur has done a wonderful job as the interim campus pastor, and I’m glad we can make this appointment permanent,” said Dr. Ron Coffey, vice president for student life.

In addition to his role at HU, Wilson serves as the assistant pastor at New Covenant Worship Center in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Read more about Arthur Wilson.

Sally Hock-Harrison, layperson from West Windsor UB church (Dimondale, Mich.)

On Easter, West Windsor UB church held a SONrise service at the little Dimondale Cemetery, and then everyone returned to the church for breakfast.

Sunday school was a bit different. Mr. Hastings, who raises homing pigeons, brought about 20 of the birds. After showing one pigeon up close to the kids (18 of them under age 11), he let all of the birds out of the cage in the bad of his truck. They flew out, circled, and went to his home about two miles away.

Then came an Easter Egg hunt for all of the kids.

We normally have 45-70 people attending on Sunday mornings, but on Easter we had 92!


What happened at your church during this Easter season? Tell us on this form

Kevin Whitacre (right), senior pastor, Corunna UB church (Corunna, Ind.)

At Corunna, we enjoyed a delicious Seder meal on Good Friday, remembering God’s work through the ages. Our members did a great job inviting newcomers, resulting in the largest attendance we have seen in many years. Much more importantly, eight people prayed to receive Christ as their savior!

Roxton Spear (right), senior pastor, Mongul UB (Shippensburg, Pa.)

Easter weekend at Mongul Church was one of our best. On Saturday, we held our third annual Easter Eggs-travaganza at a local park. It was our largest ever! More than 600 registered, with over 700 in attendance. Six thousand eggs were given away, as well as 4 bicycles and many other prizes. In addition, our volunteers helped with crafts, food, and games. Several people in our community asked for more information on Mongul Church. We are grateful for God’s favor in our community.

Easter Sunday was truly blessed by God. We had 290 attending, including 11 first-time guests. One of our home groups organized and served breakfast for at least 150. Seven individuals indicated a decision for Christ.

God is truly giving us opportunity to impact the lives of men, women and children in the Shippensburg area. We are committed to God’s mission for us!


What happened at your church during this Easter season? Tell us on this form

L.A. Gossert, Mt. Pleasant Church (Chambersburg, Pa.)

On our off years (when we don’t do a large musical Passion Play), we at Mt. Pleasant have done a few other things instead–simple cantatas, special Maundy Thursday services, solemn and dark Good Friday services, etc. This year we tried something new which really blessed me and many others I know: “Experiencing the Last Supper.”

All outward appearances pointed towards a simple drama involving Jesus and his disciples at their final Passover meal together. We watched them sit down for the meal and when Jesus announced he would be betrayed, Da Vinci’s “Last Supper” painting appeared before our eyes, each character frozen into his position as in the painting. This became a springboard for twelve monologues, as each disciple stood and told us about how he met Jesus and had been changed; and each considering the coming betrayal and questioning, “Lord, is it I?”

But where “Experiencing the Last Supper” stood out for me, and others, is that we were a part of it. Each of us had in the pew one of those communion-cup-and-wafer combos. As the man who played Jesus stood and broke the bread and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take and eat,” we also took and ate. The bread. Then the “wine.” What we do in remembrance took on a new dimension. It was very beautiful.

Now, I was not a part of the drama and I am not on staff, so I do not know stats nor do I have access to pictures. But I know the sanctuary was packed out (I think I heard just over 300 there) and I know there were some visitors among us. In fact, I got word that a family who had been looking around for a home church texted a friend of theirs from our church (the one who played Judas, interestingly enough) to say how much they enjoyed the evening, felt welcomed, and now they intend to make Mt. Pleasant their home.


What happened at your church during this Easter season? Tell us on this form

The Easter season–-Lent, Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday-–is always exciting for churches. There are special events, and often large attendances. Churches do some pretty creative things to capitalize on the Easter season.

Tell us what happened during the Easter season at your church. You can use this form. Then we can share it with other UBs right here on UBCentral.

If you have digital photos, send them along using the mechanism on the form, or email them directly to [email protected]