02 Nov Bill Fisher Leaving HU in June 2011

Bill Fisher

Rev. Bill Fisher, dean of Christian Faith and Life at Huntington University, is stepping down in June 2011 after 18 years in that position.

His work has included revising the chapel programming, raising up campus ministries student leaders, developing “Faith-in-Action” teams to support local churches, establishing an ongoing chapel worship team, organizing off-campus retreats, and teaching. He has also led or co-led numerous spring break and January Term trips across the United States and around the world, including Brazil, China, Northern Ireland, Ukraine, Kenya, and Uganda.

“It would be impossible to list all the ways that he has impacted the lives of our students – from the classes he has taught, to the personal and pre-marital counseling he has provided, to the example he has set through his involvement with area churches,” said HU President G. Blair Dowden. “In so many ways, Bill has modeled a life dedicated to Christ. And he has done an incredible job representing Huntington University locally, nationally, and internationally.”

Fisher says he will continue his work with the Murdock Charitable Trust and continue pastoring First Baptist Church in Warren, Ind., while he discovers God’s next plan for his life.

A national search is currently under way to find his successor. The search committee is led by Ron Coffey, vice president for student development.

You can read more about Bill Fisher‘s contributions to Huntington University, as well as to other Christian colleges.

18 Oct Kelly Savage Elected as HU Board Chair

The Huntington University Board of Trustees chose new officers and some new members during its meeting on October 15.

Kelly Savage (right) is the new chair of the Board of Trustees. She is the first woman to serve in that post in the university’s 113-year history. She replaces Ed Souers, chairman for the past six years.

Savage is the vice president for global human resources at Amway Corp. in Ada, Mich. She is a 1983 graduate of Huntington University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, and she also holds an MBA from Colorado State University. She has served on the HU board since 2001 and as the vice chair since 2004.

Dr. Herb Schumm (right) of Spencerville, Ohio, was elected vice chair. Schumm, a 1982 HU alumnus, is a medical doctor and vice president for media affairs at St. Rita’s Hospital in Lima, Ohio.

Nancy Hull, a 1974 graduate and the 2010 Alumnus of the Year, was elected secretary of the HU Board of Trustees. She is assistant professor of English at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Three new board members were also elected at the October meeting:

• Larry New, who previously served on the board 1996-2008, is president of Heritage Medical Group and owner of CrownPointe Communities. As a 1971 graduate of the university, he was named Alumnus of the Year in 1982.
• Robin Wright, a 1982 HU graduate from Columbia City, Ind., is the executive vice president of STAR Financial Bank. He previously served on the board from 2009 to 2010.
• Molly Deuberry, a 2001 HU graduate from Chesterton, Ind., is the director of communications for the Indianapolis Department of Works. She was officially named the alumni board president in May.

13 Oct HU Students Spending Fall Break in Service

In fall 2008, Munster, Ind., and other northwest Indiana communities were greatly affected by a flood that damaged more than 18,000 homes and businesses. Some were lucky, regaining their homes within a matter of weeks. Others were not.

A group of eight Huntington University students and one staff adviser will be traveling to Munster from October 15-19 during fall break to rebuild and tear down houses that were greatly affected by the flooding. The team will work with LARRI (Lakeshore Area Regional Recovery of Indiana), a local relief organization, as well as ArcBridges to do some site maintenance to its building and to a few other residential buildings.

“We are going on this trip because it is important to serve God and serve others through service,” said Zach Keller, a junior math and math education double major from Portland, Ind. “The Munster area is still in need of clean up, and we are very excited to be able to help with that.”

The trip is sponsored by Huntington University’s Joe Mertz Center for Volunteer Service.

29 Sep HU Begins Five-Year Commitment in China

The Institute for TESOL Studies at Huntington University has signed a five-year agreement to continue training English teachers in Doumen, a city in China’s Guangdong Province.

Since 2007, Huntington University has provided a three-week training camp to English teachers currently in the country to help them better teach the language. The camp trains approximately 80 teachers each summer and also offers a two-week English camp for children. The children’s camp provides valuable practice time for the teachers.

“We’ve trained over 500 teachers who are now beginning to offer training in their own schools,” said Dr. Luke Fetters (right), director of the Institute for TESOL Studies (ITS). TESOL is the acronym for “Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages.”

The five-year contract, which begins in 2011, allows ITS to consistently work with the Doumen School District in the southern Guangdong Province of China. The relationship will hopefully open doors for an educational exchange between the schools in China and the Huntington County school system, as well as opportunities for Chinese teachers and students to study at Huntington University.

“It gives us the opportunity to plan for the future in ways that are strategic for the training that we deliver and the cultural exchange that we hope to foster,” Fetters said.

Even though Huntington University’s relationship with the Chinese schools began in the early 1990s, the teacher training camp was not officially offered until 2007. Valerie Geer (right), associate director of ITS, has been involved each year in the teacher training camps in China.

Through ITS, a group of Huntington University and community educators, along with HU students and other volunteers, travel to China each summer to provide professional development to Chinese teachers who teach English in those schools. The students and other volunteers then help operate the children’s camp which teaches the children English through lessons and other fun activities.

ITS was established by Huntington University in 2009. The program offers certification to students as well as local teachers.

28 Sep HU Homecoming October 1-2

Huntington University will celebrate its homecoming weekend October 1-2. This year’s theme, “Celebrating the Arts — HU style,” is in honor of the 20th anniversary of the Merillat Centre for the Arts.

These alumni awards will be presented on Saturday at 12:30 in the lower level of the Habecker Dining Commons:

• David Moss, Class of ’83, will receive the 2010 Distinguished Alumni Citation. He is being given this award because of his mission field work in Sisak, Croatia, teaching the young men of that city about baseball and the love of Christ Jesus.
• Andrew Hoffman, Class of ’03, will receive the 2010 Young Alumnus Award. As the executive director of NeighborLink Fort Wayne.
• Nancy Hull, Class of ’74, has been named the 2010 Alumnus of the Year. Hull is fully committed to the advancement of the literary field through her active involvement in the Youth Writing Festival and the Festival of Faith Writing at Calvin College, where she is an assistant professor of English.

Also included in the weekend’s itinerary will be several events for people of all ages, including athletic events, theater performances and a parade. Then wrapping up the weekend’s schedule will be Davis Hall Follies, to take place in Zurcher Auditorium.

Saturday’s schedule includes:

• Men’s soccer game against Taylor University at 3 p.m.
• The Davis Hall Follies, 7 and 9:30 p.m. in Zurcher Auditorium.

20 Sep HU Launches Four New Undergrad Programs

Huntington University has launched four new Bachelor of Science degrees for the fall 2010 semester.

1. Studio Art: geared toward students serious about becoming professional artists or pursuing graduate-level study.
2. Graphic Design: replaces the former Bachelor of Arts degree, expanding the depth and breadth of the program to better prepare a new generation of students for careers after graduation.
3. Exercise and Movement Science: prepare students for careers in fields such as personal training, strength and conditioning, corporate wellness and coaching, and provide a strong foundation for graduate school.
4. Sport and Exercise Studies: prepare students for careers in fields such as personal training, strength and conditioning, corporate wellness and coaching, and provide a strong foundation for graduate school.

These majors join the more than 70 academic programs offered on campus.

16 Sep HU Sets New Enrollment Record

Huntington University enrolled a record number of traditional undergraduate students this fall and reported its second-largest incoming class in the school’s history.

The total enrollment for fall 2010 is 1278. This includes:

• 1040 traditional, fulltime and part-time undergraduate students (up eight students from 2009).
• 148 students in the EXCEL Adult Degree Program.
• 90 graduate students.

Other stats of note:

• The university enrolled 320 new fulltime students, including 263 new freshmen and 57 transfers,
• Fulltime undergraduate enrollment increased from 949 to 982 students.
• The students come from 20 countries and 35 different states.
• 60% of the students are from Indiana.
• Ethnic minorities make up 5% of the student population.
• This is the largest class of international students (33) in at least two decades.

13 Sep HU Providing PE for Homeschooled Kids

Homeschooled children can take advantage of a physical education program being offered this fall by Huntington University’s Department of Physical Education. There are nine session from September to December for children in grades K-5. Classes last for 50 minutes and are free. More information is on the HU website.

09 Sep Huntington University Launches $21m Capital Campaign

Huntington University launched a $21 million capital campaign to:

• Renovate Becker Hall (the former Administration Building).
• Build a new Studio Art Center.
• $9.5 million to expand the Merillat physical education complex.
• $3 million for the University Fund.
• $2 million for endowment.

“We must dream again,” said HU President G. Blair Dowden. “We need to expand and renovate and build.”

“Together: The Campaign for Huntington University” started in 2007 to improve and expand campus offerings and facilities. Over the past two years, the university has received $9.7 million in donations and pledges, resulting in:

• Construction of the Studio Art Center — a combination of the Art Annex building and a new 2-D studio.
• Renovations to Becker Hall, including refurbishing the entryway, adding an elevator, and renovating the third floor to create a film studio for the digital media arts program.

Work has also begun at the Merillat Complex. New bleachers were installed this summer. Additional plans include:

• Creating a new entryway.
• Expanding the exercise and weight-training areas.
• Adding new classroom and fitness lab spaces.
• Renovating the outdoor track.
• Constructing a new hardwood floor gymnasium.
• Installing all-weather turf on the soccer field.
• Funds for a facilities endowment.

The University Fund helps to bridge the gap between what students can afford and the financial aid available to them. Currently, 91 percent of the student body receives some sort of financial aid.

The endowment has a long-term impact by establishing scholarships, endowing faculty chairs, or supporting a particular program. It also helps supplement funds for the overall operation of the university.

Donations can be made to the university in various forms such as cash, appreciated securities, or real estate. The Office of Advancement will work with individuals to make sure that their gifts fulfill the donor’s wishes as well as the university’s needs.