Southwestern Today
Sycamore News
SAGU Homecoming to Feature Davis Hall Reunion
Davis men will want to be a part of Homecoming 2007. Last fall we celebrated a Collins Hall reunion after students moved out of the dorm for the last time. On Friday, October 26, we will celebrate a Davis Hall Reunion. Though the building will still remain standing and serve as office space, students have moved out of the hall for the last time and into the new Teeter and Bridges Halls.
In keeping with tradition, there will be a barbeque, tall tales, and plenty of shenanigans. So, bring your BOB attitude and come ready to enjoy all of this year's homecoming activities.
For more information about this event, call 972-825-4700 or email alumni@sagu.edu. Registration for Homecoming 2007 is available at www.sagu.edu/homecoming.
Wayne Tesch Speaks in Chapel
Children’s minister Wayne Tesch was the guest speaker in chapel on Wednesday, March 28, 2007. Chapel was followed by a special luncheon with SAGU students and local children’s ministers. Tesch is the founder of Royal Family Kids’ Camps, a network of camps for abused, abandoned and neglected children.
Tesch has 18 years of pastoral ministry experience. He and his wife Diane have over 35 years of collective experience in developing camps for children. Using a franchise model, the non-profit organization has grown nationwide to a network of camps sponsored by churches in 26 denominations spanning 36 states and 5 foreign countries.
The camping program was recognized with the GOLD AWARD from the Dept. of Social Services of Orange County, Cal., in 1989, and is being endorsed by each county where foster children are being served through these summer camps.
In 1995 Royal Family Kids’ Camps was given the “Excellence in Ministry to Children Award” by a National Children’s Pastors Conference as well as “The Kingsley Award” from Christian Camps & Conference Centers International for development of creative ministry programs in Christian camping. Royal Family was recognized by the Children’s Hospital of Orange County, California, in 1999 with a “Heroes of the Heart” award for their significant contributions and example of volunteerism to others.
Wayne & Diane Tesch have also co-authored two books: Unlocking the Secret World and Moments Matter – The Stories of Royal Family Kids’ Camps.
SAGU Hosts Seminar Featuring Dr. Samuel Chand
On Monday, June 4, the SAGU Advancement office hosted a pre-North Texas District Council seminar featuring Dr. Samuel Chand. Chand has authored six books: “Failure: The Womb of Success,” “Futuring: Leading Your Church into Tomorrow,” “Who’s Holding Your Ladder,” “Who Moved Your Ladder,” “Who’s Shaking Your Ladder,” and “Ladder Shifts.” Dr. Chand’s vision in life is “To help others succeed.”
Dr. Chand was reared in the home of a Pentecostal preacher in India before going to Beulah Heights Bible College in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1973. In 1989, Chand became president of Beulah Heights Bible College. During his leadership, the university tripled. He has also served as a chancellor and a senior pastor.
Being raised in a pastor's home in India has uniquely equipped Dr. Chand to share his passion – that of mentoring, developing and inspiring leaders to break all limits—in ministry and the marketplace. The topic for the seminar at SAGU was titled “What Keeps Pastors Up at Night.” One-hundred-fifty individuals, including seventy-five pastors from the North Texas area, attended the 5-hour leadership seminar.
65 Students Receive Donor Scholarships
Monday, April 30, 2007, SAGU held its annual scholarship awards luncheon. More than $122,000 in scholarships was awarded to 65 students for the 2007-2008 school year.
Many of these scholarships were established in honor of former SAGU students or individuals who loved SAGU. Others were created simply out of concern for helping SAGU students pay for college. Although some donor scholarships are funded by annual gifts, the majority of them come from interest earnings on permanently endowed funds managed by the Southwestern Foundation.
Financial Aid Director Trevor Summers commented, “I wish we had more money to fund all the deserving students. These donors have stepped up to the plate and made a real, substantial, quantifiable investment into these students’ lives. I hope all of us who have benefited from Southwestern will join in and give back to these students.”
Donor scholarships are a small part of the financial aid that SAGU students receive every year. A variety of scholarships, grants, and loans are available. For more information on financial aid, contact the SAGU financial aid office. To learn about giving opportunities through the Southwestern Foundation, visit the website at www.sagu.edu/foundation.
Harvesters Reunion Planned
In 1950, Leslie Stubbs established a group originally known as the S.B.I. Choir or the “Special Choir.” The following year it became known as the Advanced Choir. Finally, in 1952, the group became the Harvester Choir.
Members of the group were selected by audition and were organized for special services, concerts, and tours. The choir specialized in recording, radio work and concert appearances in the interest of evangelism and advertisement for the school.
By the early 60’s, the choir increased to 24-30 members. The group traveled regularly, taking spring and summer tours. During the 80’s, the Harvesters began to travel in two groups each weekend and traveled together for their spring and summer tours.
During the climactic years under Linda Robins’ leadership (1989-2003), there were approximately 225 students total. Continuing to use music as a vehicle for spreading the gospel, the group traveled in 20 states and 3 foreign countries. Students planned the services, introduced songs, gave altar calls, participated as altar workers, and learned to minister. The Harvesters also completed 5 recording projects during this time.
To celebrate the heritage of the Harvesters Choir, SAGU will have a Harvesters’ Reunion on October 25, at 6:00 p.m., during SAGU Homecoming. Former members of the Harvesters are invited to attend!
For more information on Homecoming 2007 and other events like the Harvesters Reunion, visit www.sagu.edu/homecoming.
SAGU Students Study and Minister in Guadalajara
Education and practical experience in ministry have taken on new meaning. SAGU students can now partner with veteran missionaries Steve and Amy Shoop in Guadalajara, Mexico. Through the Engage program, students are mentored by an experienced missionary who helps them develop skills that will benefit them the rest of their lives. The program began this year with 12 students working and studying on the mission field. Of these students, ten are freshmen and studying through the School of Distance Education.
After 22 years of working as youth pastors and missionaries, the Shoops developed "Engage in Missions." The Shoops believe that the key to reaching this world with the Good News of Jesus Christ is through young people. In the Engage program, students combine their academic studies with life and ministry on the mission field. SAGU partnered with Engage in 2006 to provide webbased, accredited college courses for the students. Students can study for up to two years on the mission field before transferring to the SAGU on-campus program to complete their respective degrees.
SAGU World Ministries Director Joel Watson and Vice President for Enrollment Eddie Davis visited the Guadalajara campus in February to see the program in action. "It’s amazing to see education go directly into action on the field," said Vice President Davis. "These students are able to take their coursework and instantly apply it on a daily basis." The students are involved in weekly ministry throughout the city of Guadalajara, including feeding programs, outreaches to children living on the streets, weekly services to the homeless, and weekly ministry in five local churches.
To learn more about Engage, visit www.sagu.edu/engage.
SAGU Introduces New Master of Children & Family Ministry
The Harrison School of Graduate Studies continues to expand with the recently introduced Master’s degree in Children and Family Ministry, which will be implemented Fall 2007. Only one other institution of higher learning offers such a degree for children’s ministry professionals. SAGU’s program is the first graduate degree of its kind, and is the only A/G university to offer such a program. In addition, SAGU is the only school where the degree can be attained through distance education.
The program is designed for the growing number of professionals who minister to children and families, whether through churches, evangelistic efforts, Christian education, professional organizations, or cross-cultural efforts focused upon ministry to children and families.
The strength of the program lies in the connection between classroom learning, peer interaction, and practical application. The focus of this 36-hour program is ministry to children and families in a congregational context with special emphasis on spiritual formation in children, advocacy and care for the special needs of children, discipleship of parents, creation of intergenerational ministry, curriculum and program development, dynamics of staffing leadership, and current trends in children and family ministry.
For more information about this and other Masters programs, visit the Harrison School of Graduate Studies online at www.sagu.edu/graduate.
Communciation Arts Program Implements 3 New Video Editing Suites
The Communication Arts program has established three new video editing bays. The suites include 24-inch iMacs equipped with Final Cut Pro and other software.
Having this equipment in-house enables students to gain hands-on editing experience. According to professor Rob Price, students can translate their stories to the screen with greater efficiency. Communication Arts students no longer have to wait for upper level courses to gain experience in video editing. Instead, they can learn the basics early in their academic program. Students will use editing equipment in almost every Communication Arts class. By the time students reach their senior year in the program, they will be proficient in non-linear production editing. The editing bays give students the tools that filmmakers in Hollywood use.
Price explains, “Whether in writing, editing or otherwise, the main purpose is the message. Our goal is to teach students how to tell God’s story, how to light, write, shoot, and edit to tell God’s powerful redemptive stories.”
The department plans to add a 10-station editing lab with 20-inch iMacs by Fall 2007. Future plans include combining production studio and drama theater as the budding program continues to grow.
Students Donate Saturday for Annual Make a Difference Day
Saturday, April 14, 2007, student, staff, and faculty volunteers participated in SAGU’s annual Make a Difference Day (MaDD). MaDD offers Southwesterners the chance to reach out to the surrounding community and show Christ’s love in a tangible way.
Special projects included working with Habitat for Humanity; maintenance projects with Hope Clinic, a clinic for people who cannot afford health insurance but do not qualify for Medicaid; organization tasks at the Texas Baptist Home for Children; and hosting a field day at Getzendaner Park for neighborhood children.
MaDD coordinator Abbey Mings commented, "Despite the cold and windy weather, we had a great turnout. We got a lot accomplished, and everyone had a great time."
Volunteers were treated to a free dinner Saturday evening. A special ‘thank you’ goes to MaDD sponsor Chick-Fil-A for providing sandwiches. ARAMARK provided chips for the dinner and SAGU provided the remaining items for the meal.
SAGU Sets New Campus Days Attendance Record
Thursday, March 29, prospective students poured onto the SAGU campus to participate in the Spring Campus Days activities. Registration numbers reached 725, breaking the previous record by almost one hundred guests.
Campus Days guests gained a first-hand perspective of campus life at SAGU. Despite the rainy weather, guests and current students enjoyed the various activities. Southwestern Live featured current SAGU students in a comedic production. Late Night Worship was a favorite of current and prospective students alike. The evening festivities concluded with dorm activities in the dorm lobbies. Friday offered the opportunity to sit in on classes and attend chapel.
The next Campus Days event is scheduled for November 8-9. For a full schedule of events, visit www.sagu.edu/campusdays or contact the admissions office.
Student Congress "Captures Kindness"
Student Congress instituted a new project at the beginning of Spring 2007. Through Capturing Kindness, nominations are made by fellow students to meet the financial needs of a selected student.
Two Capturing Kindness winners were awarded this semester. Each individual was nominated by a friend and was then surprised with some kind of provision of a need.
The first winner was Sterling Key. Sterling is a Church Ministries major with a specialization in Pastoral Ministries who will be a Sophomore in the Fall semester. Earlier this semester, Sterling generously gave to a friend to cover his school bill. As a result, Sterling was unable to pay his own bill and made plans to take out a loan.
However, some friends who knew of the situation nominated Sterling for Capturing Kindness. Student Congress surprised Sterling in chapel with a $500 scholarship to help with the bill.
Sterling commented, “I have learned that God is faithful and He will provide. I want to be used by God, and I believe as Christians we should all have that same desire, just to be servants.”
Another winner was Tiffany Geier, a Church Ministries major and graduating senior.
Business Students Visit Texas Nameplate
Last spring, SAGU business students visited Texas Nameplate. The company, which was a Malcolm Baldridge award winner, is a small, privately-held family business that manufactures metallic and non-metallic nameplates. These products serve a myriad of industries, including aerospace, aircraft, automotive, computer, electronics, government, marine, military, manufacturers, oil and natural gas, and transportation.
Texas Nameplate is the smallest business to receive the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award, as well as the only small business to have received the prestigious award twice – in 1998 and 2004. The Baldridge Award is given by the President of the United States to businesses and to education and health care organizations that apply and are judged to be outstanding in seven areas: leadership; strategic planning; customer and market focus; measurement, analysis, and knowledge management; human resource focus; process management; and results. Congress established the award program in 1987 to recognize U.S. organizations for their achievements in quality and performance and to raise awareness about the importance of quality and performance as a competitive edge.
The SAGU group toured the facility to observe computer design of the art and images, etching/painting of the materials, metal fabrication and shipping. President and CED Dale Crownover spoke to the group about the company history and explained their motivation for pursuing the Malcolm Baldridge Award after they lost a major contract to a defense weapons systems supplier because they weren't ISO certified. Company leaders realized that they would go out of business if they did not step up to contemporary standards. Texas Nameplate underwent an enormous organizational change and is now ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 Certified. The company has evolved into a world-class company, not only in quality products, but also in how they treat their employees and customers.
According to Business Department Chair Barry Gordon, “To have a MBA winner so close to SAGU is just incredible, and to have the opportunity to observe its operation first-hand is certainly a unique experience."
Students Visit Austin to Express Gratitude to Texas Legislators
March 27-28, Financial Aid Director Trevor Summers and Vice President Eddie Davis led a group of seven SAGU students to Austin, Texas. The group visited with their elected representative to express gratitude for supporting the Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG) program.
SAGU students receive approximately $1.2 million annually in funding from the TEG program. This immersion into the political process was an enjoyable experience for the group. Participating students were TEG recipients nominated by a select group of SAGU faculty and included Laura Stout, Jennifer Hagy, Peggy Deisher, Lorissa Cartwright, Christina Seagers, Taylor Harris, and Sterling Key.
Business Students Glean from Chick-fil-A Owner
Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) recently hosted an event at Chick-fil-A in Waxahachie. Thirteen students and two professors met with owner and operator Philip Browne to discuss business issues. Chick-fil-A operates with high work and business ethics and PBL leaders wanted to glean information about how a business can incorporate good business with godly principles.
Browne shared insight on topics such as leadership, organizational issues, hiring, termination, process management, and corporate culture. He explained how he got started with Chick-fil-A and then shared important lessons he has learned through his experience. The SAGU group received a tour of the kitchen and facilities. PBL provided the group with lunch following the tour.
Phi Beta Lambda is a national organization that encourages application of business principles learned in the classroom.