15 Jul HU’s EXCEL Students Do Well in Sim Game

Huntington University’s EXCEL business students placed in the Top 25 worldwide in the Global Business Simulation Strategy Game.

Competing against teams from around the world, four teams from the EXCEL business administration, human resource management, and not-for-profit leadership degrees competed in mid-December in a business simulation competition hosted by GLO-BUS. The GLO-BUS competition helps students learn how to make decisions faced by everyday companies by placing them in circumstances that parallel real-world conditions.

This is the first year that the university has participated in this competition.

13 Jul HU Fandana Music Festival August 11-13

The first annual Fandana Festival is coming to the Huntington University campus August 11-13, 2011.

More than 30 bands will perform on multiple stages around campus, including Switchfoot, Sidewalk Prophets, Photoside Cafe, Attaboy, and Me in Motion. The festival will also feature an indie band competition, seminars, and an indie film component.

The campus will be buzzing from Thursday afternoon through Saturday with fun for the whole family. Overnight lodging is also available in residence halls for individuals or groups.

Tickets are $19 in advance or $25 at the gate. Groups of 15 or more are $15.

20 Jun Arthur Wilson Named Interim Campus Pastor

Rev. Arthur Wilson has been named interim campus pastor of Huntington University, with responsibility for shaping and mentoring the student body to have hearts for God. He replaces Rev. Bill Fisher, who left the university in June after 18 years as Campus Pastor.

Wilson serves as the director of urban scholarship and mentoring at Huntington University. He came to the university in 2009 to head the Horizon Leadership Program, which he will continue during this interim period.

Wilson formerly served as the City Life coordinator for Fort Wayne Area Youth for Christ, overseeing operations of the Primetime Community Center which ministers to at-risk teenagers. He will also continue serving as assistant pastor at New Covenant Worship Center in Fort Wayne, Ind.

“Arthur is a gifted ministry professional who has impacted our students in significant and profound ways,” said President G. Blair Dowden. “He will do an outstanding job in this new position and will continue to make a positive difference in the lives of our students. I am very grateful that he is a part of the Huntington University community.”

Wilson also helped to shape the Horizon Leadership Program at HU to create a more racially and ethnically diverse campus. Launched in the fall of 2008, the program is a collaborative effort between the university and Youth for Christ that is designed to attract and retain students of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. The Horizon Leader Scholarship covers fees associated with tuition and housing costs for up to 10 semesters.

Arthur is a 2004 graduate of Taylor University Fort Wayne, with a degree in pastoral ministries. He is currently working toward his Master of Arts degree in youth ministry leadership at Huntington University.

13 Jun Huntington’s Loan Repayment Plan

Huntington University was mentioned in a USA Today article about private liberal arts colleges that help students repay loans. This is targeted at students headed toward careers in low-paying public-service fields, enabling private colleges to attract and keep students who otherwise might opt for something cheaper…or skip college altogether.

The article quoted Erica Harris, 22, who graduated in May from Huntington with a degree in Family and Children’s Ministries. If she ends up in a job that pays less than $20,000 a year, the loan repayment plan will cover her payments for that year. Students pay nothing for this benefit. Instead, the college pays an average of $1200 per student per year to LRAP Association, a company that repays loans using the pooled funds.

It makes another good reason to attend Huntington University.

25 May HU Adding Bowling as Varsity Sport

In 2012, Huntington University will become the first Christian college in Indiana to offer bowling as a varsity sport. Only three other Christian colleges compete in bowling–in Missiouri, Kentucky, and Georgia.

The university will launch a men’s team and a women’s team, with 12 athletes per team. The season will run October through April, with multiple weekend tournaments.

“We are very excited to add bowling as an intercollegiate sport for both men and women,” said Athletic Director Lori Culler. “We know we have a tremendous number of outstanding bowlers here in our own community, and the success they’ve had has created a lot of enthusiasm for the sport. We hope to be able to tap into that talent pool often to give our programs some local flavor.”

In 2010, bowling became an emerging sport in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) as a result of 25 member institutions declaring participation for that academic year. Fifty varsity programs are needed to become an NAIA championship sport.

Last year alone, more than 300 boys and girls bowling teams competed in Indiana, and many local high schools host teams.

The Huntington University Foresters currently compete in 14 intercollegiate sports for men and women.

20 May HU Art Animation Student Wins Scholarship

Sarah Krzynowek

Sarah Krzynowek, a senior animation student at Huntington University, has been awarded the Student Illustrator Scholarship to attend a conference in Los Angeles in August hosted by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. The SCBWI is the world’s largest professional organization for children’s book illustrators and writers.

Krzynowek, a native of New Hartford, Conn., was one of only three to receive this scholarship.

“It’s unheard of for a small liberal arts college student to receive this scholarship over an illustration major at an arts school,” said Bryan Ballinger, associate professor of digital media arts at HU. “This is a big deal for the university.”

The scholarship will provide admission to all conference events including keynotes and breakout sessions, entry in the Juried Portfolio Showcase, attendance to the illustration master class, an individual portfolio consultation with an illustrator or art director, and one year’s society membership dues.

16 May HU’s First Graduates from the Nursing Program

Huntington University's first graduates from the Department of Nursing.

Ten Huntington University graduating nursing students were honored May 13, 2011, in a traditional pinning ceremony.

The Class of 2011 is the first graduating class from the Department of Nursing. Earlier in the week, the nursing program was awarded full accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

The history of the nursing pinning ceremony stems from the Crimean War when Florence Nightingale took 38 women to Turkey to nurse sick and wounded British soldiers. Since she cared for many patients by the light of a lamp, Florence Nightingale became known as the “lady with the lamp.” As a tribute to her dedication, the lamp icon became symbolic of nursing. Today, the nursing pin is used to welcome graduates into the nursing profession–the end of formal education and the beginning of practice.

At the ceremony, students received the Huntington University Department of Nursing pin with the department emblem.

16 May Huntington University’s 113th Commencement

2011 Huntington University graduates

Faculty at the 2011 Commencement ceremony.

Students at the Baccalaureate service.

L-r: G. Blair Dowden, president of Huntington University; Dr. Joseph M. Stowell, Commencement speaker; Rev. Bill Fisher, Baccalaureate speaker.

Huntington University honored 327 graduates and three honorary degree recipients on Saturday, May 14, during the 113th commencement ceremonies.

Huntington University awarded:

• 34 Master of Arts degrees.
• 9 Master of Education degrees.
• 85 Bachelor of Arts degrees.
• 169 Bachelor of Science degrees.
• 10 Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees.
• 4 Bachelor of Social Work degrees.
• 22 Associate of Science degrees.

An honorary Doctor of Divinity degree was presented to commencement speaker Dr. Joseph M. Stowell, who is president of Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Mich. An honorary Doctor of Laws degree was presented to local attorney Theodore L. Bendall, and an honorary Doctor of Commercial Science was presented to Phillip G. Howard, president and co-owner of InterDesign.

The afternoon commencement followed the morning baccalaureate service where Rev. Bill Fisher, Huntington University dean of Christian faith and life, spoke on John 15. Fisher will conclude his 18 years at Huntington University in June.

The Huntington University website has a photo gallery from commencement.

13 May Two Students Receive Servant Leadership Award

Jan Yost presents the PACE Servant Leadership Awards to Miles Allen.

Grace McBrayer presents PACE Servant Leadership Award to Mike Megonnell.

Each year, Huntington University students donate thousands of hours to selflessly serve those in the community. Two students were given the PACE (President’s Advisory Council on Excellence) Servant Leadership Award, which recognizes students who have demonstrated leadership in community and ministry service.

Miles Allen, a junior film production major from Roscoe, Ill., was nominated because of his two-year commitment to the Huntington Kids Club.

In his nomination, it was noted, “Huntington Kids Club would struggle to conduct weekly meetings without the volunteer help of Huntington University students like Miles. When a student commits to more than one year, that gives some continuity to the children that attend. He is someone that the director can count on when help is needed.”

Mike Megonnell, a junior mathematics education major from York Springs, Pa., was nominated because of his commitment to serve and his commitment to Christ Jesus.

“Your outward involvement in service is to be commended, but more importantly, your commitment and heart for the Lord is so very evident. You certainly epitomize what it means to be a servant leader,” his nomination said.

The students were recognized at the Joe Mertz Center for Volunteer Service Appreciation Banquet on April 28. Only juniors with a 2.5 GPA or above are eligible. Students are awarded a $1,000 prize. They receive $750, and are asked to designate $250 to the charity of their choice. Allen chose Japan Tsunami Relief, and Megonnell chose Love Inc., a Huntington non-profit.

13 May Mike Frame is Staff Member of the Year

Mike Frame

Mike Frame, associate director of athletics and head baseball coach, has been named Huntington University’s 2011 Staff Member of the Year. Earlier this month, Dr. David Alexander, assistant professor of philosophy, was named the 2011 Professor of the Year. The award recognizes outstanding service to the university.

Frame, who has been employed by the university for 27 years, was nominated by faculty and staff for the award and was selected by the university’s senior administrators. He was recognized for the award during the annual Celebration of Service banquet on May 9.

In comments read by President G. Blair Dowden, one person wrote, “(His) example of commitment, loyalty and passion to serve students has always been one of the best, most consistent and unrelenting efforts that I have seen,” one person wrote.

During Frame’s tenure, the Forester baseball team has captured the Mid-Central Conference title or conference tournament title 13 times, including a recent win over Marian University to secure a bid to the NAIA National Championship Opening Round on May 12-16.

He has been honored as Mid Central Conference Coach of the Year five times, and has also been named the NAIA District and Area Coach of the Year. He was named NCCAA District Coach of the Year in 1988, and in 2003 he was inducted into the Huntington University Athletic Hall of Fame. Six years later, he was inducted into the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame. The Foresters have finished with a 654-533 record during his tenure.