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![viewer/reader/listener in the act of making
meaning, finding relevance—not only
through analysis but by connecting emo-
tionally with the meaning that the work
helps us to make.
Hannah Arendt writes in The Life of the
Mind: “To lose the appetite for meaning
we call thinking and cease to ask unanswer-
able questions [would be to] lose not only
the ability to produce those thought-things
that we call works of art but also the capac-
ity to ask all the answerable questions upon
which every civilization is founded.”
I think of that researcher at Clemson,
a world-class scientist who operates ana-
lytically and logically at a very high level.
Yet in pursuing some of his work’s most
daunting questions, his thinking turns
to the imagination for a creative solu-
tion. In that way he becomes rather an
artist of the arteries, his lab something of
an artist’s studio. I’m not sure he would
appreciate that description. I want to be
fair to this brilliant man, but I suspect
that what drives him is what he consid-
ers a purely scientific motive. And, writes
Valois, “What makes art different from
science is that the scientific method relies
on proof and evidence.” Philosophers and
scientists seek to uncover the way things
are and how they work. Scientific efforts
aim for truth or knowledge. Liberal learn-
ing, the humanities in particular, privi-
lege meaning and meaning-making over
mere knowledge. And if Hannah Arendt
was right, that priority—what she called
the “appetite for meaning,” which is
uniquely human—makes not only art but
all human inquiry, including the scientific,
even possible.
Back at Mount Wachusett where Profes-
sor Valois teaches, as also at Clemson and
here at Erskine, faculty and administration
are being pressed to articulate outcomes and
to measure and quantify student learning as
never before. This pressure accounts for a
good bit of the scrutiny now brought to bear
on the liberal arts and sciences. Valois fears
that a learning outcome like “creating” will
be co-opted by things like “creative problem
solving” and “creative thinking,” skills more
akin to analysis than imagination—skills
that only engage part of the human being’s
creative capacity.
Frankly, this is precisely what I saw last
spring at the first meeting I attended: The
innovative approach aimed at transforming
South Carolina public education is all about
“creative thinking and problem solving.”
For example, in one middle school, every
sixth-grader has been given a laptop and a
personal dashboard to measure progress on
standards across all disciplines. High-stakes
MAP test scores have risen dramatically,
which bodes well for many of these stu-
dents’ futures. I must applaud such an effort
and its results. I want to be fair to it, too,
but there’s more to human creativity than
problem solving and logic. Valois explains
this with a poignant example from her own
life, one involving a group of profession-
als well versed in creative problem solving:
nurses.
Professor Valois knows something about
nurses. Four years ago she underwent
“brutal treatment for a highly treatable
cancer.” For a time she lost the ability to
talk, swallow, drink, and eat. She had dif-
ficulty communicating with her family, es-
pecially her 4-year-old twins. She received
plenty of support and encouragement, “But
the most profound gift [she] received came
from [her] college’s nurse,” who sent her
a 13th-century poem called “The Guest
House.” In translation, the poem begins,
“This being human is a guest house. / Every
morning a new arrival.” Valois explains:
A metaphor is, by its very nature, a lie.
Sometimes it’s a simple lie; sometimes not.
I am not a house. But during my illness, the
image of myself as a guest house was a lie that
told a truth I needed to hear, a lie that helped
me to endure pain and suffering by telling
me that along with suffering, the house that
I was would also be visited by other guests.
The poem instructed me to “welcome and
entertain them all! / Even if they’re a crowd
of sorrows / who violently sweep [my] house,
/ empty of its furniture.”
Radiation and chemotherapy did not just
sweep me clean; they stole much that
spring…The poem, though, insisted that
I “treat each guest honorably. / He may be
clearing [me] out / for some new delight.”
The nurse had prescribed just the right medi-
cine… [one] that my radiologist could not
administer. Would the poem have shrunk my
tumor? No. Did I not want a treatment plan
guided by the latest in modern medicine, the
result of careful study and years of research?
Of course. I’ve heard it said that the arts and
humanities are “nice to have” but not “need
to have.” Four years ago, I needed a doctor
who could treat my cancer with the most ef-
fective medical protocol available, but I also
needed someone who understood the emo-
tional aspects of healing.
Friends, that is why liberal learning will
survive. That is why the humanities will not
only survive but periodically flourish again.
Because we are human. And humankind
must have meaning, must make meaning.
We can’t help it. Being wired this way is part
of what it means to be made in God’s own
image. This aspect of being human, which
the humanities privilege even above mere
knowledge, is not only liberal learning’s
greatest value; it is a necessity and our great-
est responsibility—as image bearers, and as
teachers and learners.
The entire text of Dr. Christie’s speech is
available online at news.erskine.edu.
A
meeting I attended last spring
introduced me to an innovative
program designed to address
several problems with South Carolina
public education, including the need to
better prepare high school graduates for
positions requiring at least some post-
secondary education. Recent polling indi-
cates that a good job is the number one
social value for people
everywhere. It is the
value driving much of
the change and many of
the pressures we’re feel-
ing in higher education,
especially at liberal arts
institutions like Ers-
kine. It is not, though,
the highest value of
liberal learning. Perhaps
this is why many see
the liberal arts as being
in decline. But liberal
learning has always sur-
vived—indeed, at times
it has flourished—and
this will be the case for the future. Let me
tell you why.
At another meeting I attended, TEDx-
Greenville, one of the presenters, a re-
searcher at Clemson, spoke about elastin,
the protein that allows many tissues in the
body to resume their original shape after
stretching or contracting. His presenta-
tion culminated in a practical application
of some of this research. Elastin doesn’t
age well; this man’s lab had developed
therapies to help improve the protein’s re-
generative ability, but only at the cellular
level. To treat entire human structures like
arteries, muscles, or organs would be pro-
hibitively tedious and expensive.
So, he told us, he began to imagine:
What if we could somehow transport the
molecular building blocks of this protein
and concentrate them on diseased tissues
or areas at risk of degeneration? It sounded
like a science fiction scenario as he de-
scribed deploying nano robots 1/15th the
thickness of a sheet of paper to the tissue
walls of arteries in laboratory animals. But
it wasn’t fiction. It was a science problem
solved. And this solution has tremendous
implications for future human health. It
means something, potentially to a lot of
people. But I hope you noticed that it
began as an act of imagination. And that
is the point: that for humans, meaning-
making trumps knowledge. Imagination
is the highest value of liberal learning.
Works of imagination, of course, fall
under the purview of the liberal arts and
are the particular currency of the humani-
ties. Humans create such works (usually)
to convey meaning, which many people
associate with truth. But “A work of the
imagination is inherently an untruth, yet
it is one that reveals a truth.” This from
a recent post in The Chronicle of Higher
Education, an essay by Michelle Valois, an
English professor and chair of liberal arts
and sciences and general studies at Mount
Wachusett Community College. I will
quote or paraphrase professor Valois at
some length because she gets to the heart
of the matter:
A painting, a poem, or a dance is trying
to express something important about the
human condition, a truth that is revealed
through intuition and feeling. The creator
engages in logical and analytical thinking,
too, but the act of creation is fueled by our
capacity to intuit knowledge and beauty,
to imagine what is not and never has been
through a faculty different from reason.
The receiver of the work can analyze it—a
logical endeavor. But art also engages the
Meaning Matters
The highest value of liberal learning
This article is
based on a
speech by Dr. Brad
Christie, senior
vice president for
academic affairs.
There’s more to human
creativity than problem
solving and logic.
Imagination is
the highest value
of liberal learning.
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IE-Fall-2015-web
- 1. INSID RSKINEe Fall2015 | www.erskine.eduFor Erskine Alumni, Friends, and Family Knowledge, Truth, and Meaning considering the value of an erskine education
- 2. CONTENTS The meaningof it all14 We explore the nature and value of Christian liberal arts education. Our Erskine4 New Advancement theme celebrates unity and diversity. Seminary within reach10 Erskine Theological Seminary expands its reach to equip ministry leaders. Campus News Athletics Alumni Day Class Notes 6 8 28 39 Inside Erskine Fall 2015 Executive Editor Cliff Smith Editor Joyce Guyette Designer Lori Ramey Director of Photography Brian Smith Contributors Brad Christie Luke Christie Paul Kooistra Christine Schott RachelTalbot ’15 Photographers Sarah Baroody ’16 Erin Drago Joyce Guyette Shawn Knox Katie Putnam ’14 Brian Smith Steve Sniteman Printing R.R. Donnelley, Columbia, SC Inside Erskine is published by the Communications Office of Erskine College & Theological Seminary. Keep up with Erskine news, stories and events at news.erskine.edu Letters to the Editor We welcome your feedback, thoughts on our stories, or ideas for stories. Submissions may be edited for style, length or clarity. Contact us at news@erskine.edu Erskine marked the end of the 2014-15 academic year with a joint commencement ceremony honoring both college and seminary graduates. |32|
- 3. In an emailsent to alumni and friends on July 1, President Paul Kooistra expressed his thanks to all those who contributed to the success of the 2014-15 Erskine Annual Fund. Here are some highlights from his letter. When I arrived at Erskine last August, the 2014-15 fiscal year was just a few weeks old. To say we started the year to- gether with difficult challenges is certainly an understatement. Yet, as Sandi and I began our journey as members of the Erskine family, we were warmly welcomed and quickly came to understand why so many are so passionate about Erskine, its heritage, and its mission. By God’s grace, the news as we close one fiscal year and start another is promising and hopeful. Through your generosity, God has allowed us not only to meet our Erskine Annual Fund goal, but exceed it by more than we could have thought possible. We saw an increase in nearly every category of giving and types of donors. I am thankful for the unity I have seen within the Erskine community — even in the midst of tremendous diversity. And I am thankful for the generosity you, our alumni and friends, have shown. Moving forward into 2015-16, I am praying for even more unity and continued generosity. I have said many times this past year, and will probably say it often this next year: in order for Erskine to truly succeed, we must all pull together in the same direction. I look forward to working together with you to do that in the year ahead. ANNUAL FUND GIVING EXCEEDS GOAL, TOPS $1.7 MILLION FOR 2014-15 Following the most successful year of unrestricted annual giving in recent memory, final calculations confirmed the amount given to the Erskine Annual Fund was $1,728,853.26. This year’s $1.6 million goal was a key part of President Kooistra’s two-year financial stability plan. On behalf of the Erskine faculty, staff and students, we would like to thank our alumni, friends, churches, foundations, and organizations for all they have done to help achieve this very important goal! The Erskine Annual Fund underwrites many institutional scholarships, thus directly supporting our students. David Earle Vice President for Advancement The Erskine Annual Fund is the unrestricted giving category that goes directly toward operations and represents approximately five percent of Erskine’s annual budget. INCREASED DONOR PARTICIPATION For the first time in several years, the total number of alumni giving increased by seven percent. Seminary giving quadrupled compared to the previous year, with the number of seminary alumni donors nearly doubling. Several other categories saw significant increases in total number of donors: • Non-ARP churches (300%) • ARP congregations (243%) • Businesses (140%) • Foundations (89%) • Friends (27%) Overall giving, including restricted gifts and Flying Fleet, came in at $2.19 million for the year. Erskine has been honored this year by exceptional support. The call for giving has been answered in numbers that exceeded the expectations of many. Thanks to you all. You are answers to prayer. Buddy Ferguson Director of Alumni Affairs E rskine’s core mission—to provide excellent Christ-centered liberal arts and theological education that enables students to serve and lead in their workplaces, churches, and communities—is worth that kind of focus. While Erskine may mean many different things individually to many different people, what unites us is greater than our differences. This past year we’ve experienced a true gift. In the midst of multiple chal- lenges, our alumni and friends, together with students, faculty, and staff, joined in a common purpose: ensuring that Erskine can continue fulfilling its mission. OUR ERSKINE celebrates that unity of purpose. It highlights the indi- vidual stories that make up our Erskine story — what we have in common. As you see OUR ERSKINE unfold in the coming months, we hope you’ll see the richness of diversity that makes up that unity. Some things are worth the effort. We focus on what is truly important and let go of what distracts us. OUR ERSKINE OUR ERSKINE OUR ERSKINE gives back “I’d like to find out how much financial aid I received so I can give it back.” Six decades after graduating, Hank Staples ’54 presented this unusual request to Dena Hodge, assistant to the president at Erskine. David Earle, vice president for advancement, visited with Staples in Winston- Salem, N.C., to learn more about this grateful graduate, who spent 10 years in the Air Force and went on to a career as a commercial pilot. Hank Staples came to Erskine to play football, learning about the school from a high-school coach. He has fond memories of living in College Home, of his room- mate (the late Bob Parrish) and other friends, and even of his math classes! He hopes that by repaying his alma mater for the “wonderful opportunities” afforded him by scholarship aid, he will help present-day students gain similar opportunities. “Learning is so important,” he says. steps up gives anks 4| |54| |5
- 4. NEWSaround campus and beyondERSKINE Kathleen Watkins ’15 of Greenwood attended the 2014 National Conference for College Women Student Leaders.This was the second consecutive year an Erskine student was chosen to receive the one state scholarship from the American Associa- tion of University Women (AAUW) to attend and represent South Carolina. The Visual Art Society of Erskine (VASE) led Erskine’s participation in the Empty Bowls Project. As the only fund-raiser for Greenwood Soup Kitchen, the Empty Bowls Project combines the work of Greenwood Area Studio Potters, Greenwood County Medical Alliance, and Greenwood Soup Kitchen. VASE invited members of the Erskine community to come and form the bowls, thenVASE members dried, glazed, and fired them in time to be sold at the Empty Bowls event. Erskine contributed some 80 bowls to the Empty Bowls project. Erskine Trustee Mary Rucker ’69 of Lake Placid, Fla., ran in the Naples Daily News Half Marathon in January, using her running hobby to raise money for her alma mater. Serving on the Erskine Board of Trustees is “a privilege and an honor,” she said.“It’s time to move forward for Erskine, for the glory of God and the good of Erskine.” Erskine celebrated Women’s History Month in March with three Women’s Leadership Gatherings, which featured three alumnae: Mary Alex Senn Kopp ’11, tourism and events coordinator for the city of Newberry; Lisa Robinson Senn ’81, Newberry attorney and Erskine trustee; and Dr. Beth Larkin Taylor ’78, Greenwood District 50 director for secondary education. Professor Emerita of Biology Dr. Janice Haldeman ’15 (Hon.) was recognized for her contributions to undergraduate biology education by the National Association of Biol- ogy Teachers (NABT), receiving the Four-Year College & University Section Biology Teaching Award. Haldeman has served on the Erskine College faculty since 1967, teaching and men- toring hundreds of students, many of whom have gone on to graduate school and careers in scientific fields. One of those successful students, NABT President-Elect Dr. Jane Ellis ’69, both nominated Haldeman for the award and presided at the NABT honors luncheon. Six Erskine College students, accompanied by Professor of Music Dr. J. Brooks Kuykendall ’97, traveled to Chicago for the Alpha Chi National Honor Society Convention in March. Derrick Brown ’15 of Anderson, Kate Macsay of Greenville, and Rachel Talbot ’15 of Rock Hill, along with Christina Holbrooks of Mooresville, N.C., Jennifer Jennings of Greenwood, and Kate Keukelaar of Clarence, N.Y., attended. Five students gave presentations and Kuykendall served as a judge for the performing arts entrants. “This is the third year in a row that we’ve gone to the national convention, and this is the biggest group we’ve sent,” said Kuykendall, who is Erskine’s Alpha Chi sponsor. Two outgoing Student Government Association (SGA) officers—Pete Savarese, president, and Ford Blanchard, treasurer— led efforts to make campus improvements that were funded wholly or in part by an accumulation of “rollover money” from student organizations.“We wanted to do capital projects that we could see today and that would benefit students on campus,” Blanchard said. The largest and most visible projects were upgrades to the Galloway Fitness Center that produced a cleaner, more open space for workouts, which included the addition of new televisions, treadmill, bike machines, and weights. Other projects funded by the SGA included structural repair and renova- tion of the Ellenburg Pavilion, improvements to the Hangar, the creation of a study area in the campus police station, a treadmill for the Bonner Hall workout room, a fob reader for the Daniel-Moultrie Science Center, and acquisition of technology items, such as high-definition camcorders to film campus events. A new exhibit featuring the telescope made by Henry Fitz for Erskine College in 1849 became a prominent part of the South Carolina State Museum’s new observatory, planetarium, and 4D theater.The telescope is the oldest surviving American-made observatory instrument. Following the addition of a minor last year, Erskine’s Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation (SEI) Program hosted retreat ses- sions for students as well as members of the faculty and staff last fall. Speakers included Steve McDavid, president of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Founda- tion, and Gary Gilmer, president of The Renaissance, a local retirement community. ErskineFest brought alumni, students, families, and friends together for Erskine’s 175th anniversary celebration in October. The day’s festivities includ- ed traditional Homecoming and Family Day events as well as special displays in Reid Hall by Archivist Edith Brawley ’58; tours of the Erskine observatory tower, a ghost walk; and a screening of DueWest of Ordinary, a documentary film about Erskine’s 175-year history. Music was provided by the Erskine Choraleers and Gospel Choir, Shane Snite- man, and Sarah Elizabeth Adams.Three guest bands—Emerald Road, Sirius.B, and the Fantastic Shakers—each offered music through the late afternoon and evening, and entertainment was provided by TimTV and the Secret Cirkus. Pictured here are Homecoming King and Queen Kevin Adams and Chelsea Ball ’15. South Carolina’s House Education Policy Review and Reform Task Force met in Memorial Hall April 27, with Grady Patter- son Professor of Politics Dr. Ashley Woodiwiss offering opening remarks. Speaker of the House Rep. James H.“Jay” Lucas of Hartsville established the task force after the South Carolina Supreme Court’s ruling last November saying the state had failed to provide children in certain rural districts with a “minimally adequate” education.The panel of state lead- ers heard from representatives of districts and organizations in Abbeville, Laurens, and Saluda counties. Young Professor of Chemistry Dr. Howard Thomas was among the 20 professors from member colleges honored at the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (SCICU) 10th Annual Excellence in Teaching Awards Dinner April 14.Thomas has taught at Erskine since 1976 and has served as chair of the Department of Chemistry and Physics since 1984. He was named the Dr. and Mrs. James RogersYoung Professor of Chemistry in 2006. Yami Alebachew, a native of Ethiopia who re- sides in Simpsonville, S.C., and Elizabeth Bishop of Greenwood, S.C., are this year’s Erskine College Presidential Scholarship winners.The Presidential Scholarship covers tuition, room, board, and fees, minus any state, federal, and outside scholarships or grants. AnnaTaylor Hydrick of St. Matthews, S.C., and Zachary Stephen Morgan of Green- ville, S.C., were chosen to receive the Solomon Scholarship, which covers tuition. Gov. Nikki Haley has appointed two Erskine Theo- logical Seminary graduates to serve on the Burton Center Board for Disabilities and Special Needs. Dr. Robert J. F. Elsner, who holds a Master of Practical Ministry degree from Erskine, is profes- sor and chair of psychology at Erskine College. The Rev. Alvin L. Green, Sr. is pastor of Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Abbeville and received his M.Div. from Erskine. A group of townspeople partnered with Erskine College to restore the Due West Depot last spring.The building, now owned by the college, served as the terminus of the four-mile line connecting Due West and Donalds by rail from 1907 to 1939. Erskine provided paint and supplies. Local donations paid other expenses. Due West residents Hillard Allen ’04 (Hon.), a retired engineer, and Lynde “Plug” Clements supervised lo- cal volunteers, including Jeron Crawford ’15, Carolyn Allen ’57 and Dr. Jo Ann Griffith ’56, in repairing and painting. “The Dinky” (a nickname coined by Erskine students for the little engine that pulled the passenger and freight cars) was South Carolina’s most unique railroad.The line brought students to and from Erskine, started ath- letic teams on trips, carried mail each day to and from the Due West Post Office, connected Due West residents to the nation, and shipped goods by Railway Express. The full story is available at news.erskine.edu. 6| |7
- 5. The Red MyersClassic, a tribute to the late coach, was hosted by Erskine Jan. 31.This event is funded in part by his former play- ers, many of whom were on hand. At halftime, Myers’ Hall of Fame Citation was read and his widow, Mac Myers, and former players were honored. In the picture are (from left to right): Mike Jordan, Skip Norris, Richard Oates, Sammy Oates, Dusty Oates, Don Whitehead, Melvin Brewton, Chris Bethea, Ken Whitehead,Tim Whipple,Willie Rawl, Jim Bradford, Mac Myers, Skip Goley, Bill Simpson, Keith Brown, and former Erskine PR and Sports Information Director Richard Haldeman. The Flying Fleet stormed the court, course, and field with strong showings in several sports this year. TOP 5 2014-15 Flying Fleet 1 2 5 3 4 Women’sVolleyball won their Conference Carolinas Regular Season and Tournament Championships. Marlee Rhodes ’15 won the individual conference championship in Cross Country and was named Conference Carolinas Runner of the Year with 1st Team All-Conference and 1st Team All-Region honors. Baseball Coach Kevin Nichols won his 500th game on February 17 with a 19-2 win over Anderson University that featured six home runs. Men’sVolleyball scored a major victory (25-22, 25-22, 26-24) at home in Belk Arena over Division I Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne on March 9. Men’s Golf received a third straight NCAA Regional Tournament invi- tation, being ranked as high as 5th nationally during the season. Jake Todd Award Erskine’s highest student-athlete honor, given for sportsmanship, leadership, athletic ability, character, and academic standing, was shared this year. Marlee Rhodes, Cross Country Williamston, SC, Palmetto High School Marlee finished a distinguished career, becoming the first Erskine Women’s Cross Country runner ever to earn an invitation to the NCAA National Cross Country Meet. Andrew Settlemire, Soccer Beaufort, SC, Beaufort High School Andrew led the team in scoring for four straight seasons and departs as the top scorer in recent history with 42 career goals. In 2013 Settlemire helped lead the Flying Fleet to their first-ever Conference Carolinas Regular Season Conference Title and earned Conference Carolinas Player of theYear honors. Karen Bell Memorial Award This award honors Christian commitment, team loyalty, positive attitude, and high moral standards. Megan Johnson, Volleyball Little River, SC, Scholars Academy Sonny Rehm Award This award recognizes student-athlete excellence in academics and service to others. Ford Blanchard, Golf Orangeburg, SC, Orangeburg Preparatory Schools Gid Alston Award This award recognizes Erskine faculty and staff for outstanding work ethic, loyalty, and service. Adam Weyer ’99 Associate Athletic Director for Sports Medicine |98| Fleet Feats
- 6. EDUCATIONWITHIN REACH A SEMINARY Wisdomtakes the lead at ETS Dr. Christopher H. Wisdom was appointed vice president and professor of practical theology at Erskine Theological Semi- nary in August 2014. Since then, Wisdom, who has served as a campus minister, church planter, and pastor, in addition to his 28 years as a U.S. Army chaplain, has launched several key initiatives designed to position the seminary for long-term stability. These efforts included a thorough review and revision of the seminary’s strategic plan in cooperation with President Dr. Paul Kooistra and the Seminary Committee of the Board of Trustees. Wisdom describes the seminary’s primary objective over the next few years as building and maintaining greater trust with its board, staff, and supporters. The main measures of success, he says, will be higher student enrollment and donor confidence expressed through individual, church, and presbytery gifts. According to Wisdom, the seminary has made good progress over the past year in pursuing these objectives. The main steps have been efforts to expand its distance education and online components and to build strategic relationships within key student and donor constituencies. “One of Erskine’s greatest and most distinctive strengths,” Wisdom explains, “is that we are an Evangelical and Reformed seminary that is also denominationally and culturally diverse.” Wisdom wants to leverage that strength. Expanding its online capabilities and extending geographic diversity by partnering with more local congregations will produce a more evenly ‘distributed education’ model, he says. “We want to take education to where students live and minister, rather than simply relying on students traveling to Due West or Columbia.” ErskineTheological Seminary pursues new strategies to equip ministry leaders Wisdom received his undergraduate education at Nyack Col- lege in New York and went on to complete the Master of Divinity degree at Westminster Theological Seminary in 1980. He earned an MBA at Syracuse University in 1993. He is also a graduate of Erskine Seminary, where he was awarded a Doctor of Ministry degree in 2004. He received the Master of Strategic Studies degree from the U.S. Army War College in 2008. “We are an Evangelical and Reformed seminary that is also denominationally and culturally diverse.” In 2015-16, a few new adjunct and part-time professors will be teaching at the seminary. Several of these positions were made possible by repurposing funds from unoccupied endowed chairs. According to Dr. Chris Wisdom, vice president of the seminary, each of these appointments will enable Erskine to train and serve students in key seminary student groups more thoughtfully and effectively while building strategic relationships within those constituencies. Dr. Michael Milton, former president and chancellor of Reformed Theological Seminary, will take up his part-time duties in October as director of strategic initiatives, including faculty duties as the James H. Ragsdale Professor of Missions and Evangelism. “We want to take education to where students live and minister, rather than simply relying on students traveling to Due West or Columbia.” Karen Ellis has performed, spoken, and lectured in many countries. She has a Master of Arts in Religion from Westmin- ster Seminary and a Master of Fine Arts from the Yale School of Drama. She will teach on “Women and Islam in America” during the January term. Dr. Carl F. Ellis, Jr., associate pastor for cultural apologetics at New City Fellowship, also serves as an adjunct faculty member with the Center for Urban Theological Studies. He will teach during January term on “The Changing Face of Islam in America.” Dr. Bryan Chappell, former president of Covenant Seminary and senior pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church in Peoria, Illinois, will be team teaching the online distance course “Basic Preaching” with Dr. George Robertson. Dr. Lawrence Gordon, who serves as senior pastor of Greater Macedonia African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, will serve as adjunct professor of AME history, polity, and doctrine. The Rev. Leon M. Brown, pastor of Joy and Crown Presbyte- rian Church (PCA) and a Ph.D. candidate in Hebrew, will teach a spring semester intensive exegeti- cal course Feb. 1-5 on the Book of Jonah. Dr. Dariusz Brycko, an ARP missionary, will serve as R.W. Carson Professor for Christian Mission. This arrangement will assist him in planting a church and developing a Reformation Study Center in Warsaw, Poland. Dr. Leslie Holmes, who has served as an adjunct professor for several years, will take on half- time duties as John H. Leith Professor of Reformed Theology and Ministry. He is also Dean of the Institute for Reformed Worship. 10| |11
- 7. From left, Dr.Lawrence Gordon, Hal Stevenson, and Dr. Christopher Wisdom at the press conference to announce the new Emanuel AME Scholarship at ETS Seminary receives gift to establish AME scholarship A gift of $10,000 to establish a scholarship for African Methodist Episcopal (AME) students in honor of Mother Emanuel AME Church was pre- sented to Erskine Theological Seminary July 7 by IBelieve, the organization that sponsors the South Carolina DMV license plate “IBelieve.” At a news conference in the rotunda of the State- house in Columbia, Hal Stevenson, a member of the multiracial and multidenominational IBelieve board, introduced representatives from AME churches, IBelieve, and Erskine Seminary. Prior to the news conference July 7, proceeds from the sales of “IBelieve” specialty license plates had been designated for evangelism and ministry work, but no funds had been disbursed by the organization. “Then came Emanuel,” Stevenson said, referring to the June 17 shooting at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, which took the lives of the Rev. Clementa Pinckney and eight of his parishioners. “The IBelieve board wanted to help train up new Clementa Pinckneys by helping talented and finan- cially challenged ministerial students,” he said. Dr. Christopher Wisdom, vice president and professor of practical theology, noted that July 2015 marks the 50th anniversary of the racial integration of Erskine Seminary, and that the percentage of African American students enrolled has increased over the years. “The largest group of black students by denomina- tion are those from the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and they number over one-fifth of our stu- dents,” he said. “In response, this year Erskine has strengthened our relationship with the AME Church by hiring Dr. Lawrence Gordon, senior pastor of Greater Macedo- nia AME Church in Charleston, as adjunct professor of AME history, polity, and doctrine.” Gordon, who was also present at the news con- ference, has played “a key pastoral role in ministering to the spiritual needs of the bereaved families of the nine murder victims of Emanuel AME Church,” Wisdom said. Wisdom expressed appre- ciation to Stevenson and the IBelieve organization for donat- ing the funds. “With this gift, Erskine Theological Seminary will initiate the establishment of a newly endowed scholarship for AME students, the ‘Emanuel AME Church Scholarship,’ in honor of the martyred minister and members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston,” he said. The cause of racial reconciliation is advanced and the unity of the Christian community is demon- strated, Wisdom said, “by making known such acts of Christian generosity that cross racial and denomi- national lines in the interest of training future leaders of Christian churches.” D uring a time when reports of racial conflict have peppered the national news, a recent men’s retreat brought black and white Christians together. Men from Tabernacle Baptist Church, a predominantly black congregation, met with men from mostly white First Presby- terian Church. The event marked another expansion of fellowship between the two Augusta, Georgia congregations, and Er- skine Theological Seminary (ETS) has played a role in that growing relationship. First Presbyterian Church (whose pastor, Dr. George Robertson, has served as an adjunct professor at ETS) hosts Ers- kine’s extension site in Augusta. “Erskine has had a unifying presence in our town as it equips pastors from different backgrounds, denominations, and races,” ETS graduate John Barrett said. “We are looking forward to seeing how the Lord will use these relationships and Erskine in our community.” Barrett, now associate pastor of discipleship at First Presbyterian, became friends early last year with Minister Toney Cross of Tabernacle Baptist, who organized the retreat. A current ETS student from Tabernacle Baptist, the recently ordained Dr. Terence Vandiver, invited Dr. Mark Ross of ETS to deliver the closing address at the event. “I think the story begins in March 2014 when I first met Toney during a community- wide work project,” Barrett said. “We all gathered to eat lunch and I met Toney and the men from Tabernacle Baptist there. Later that year, we led another joint project in the community.” First Presbyterian had scheduled a small men’s retreat for May 2014, and Barrett invited Cross, who brought with him not only a dozen men from Tabernacle Baptist but also “a promise to invite us to their re- treat in November.” Ministry projects undertaken together in the community paved the way for more partnership between the congregations, Vandiver explained. “Our leadership saw an opportunity to make our retreat more representative of ‘the’ church as opposed to ‘our’ church and to create an atmosphere of unity, worship, and growth around our common Savior.” Cross described the November retreat at Tabernacle Baptist, entitled “Fearless,” as aimed at helping the men become fearless concerning the enemy, fearless concern- ing themselves and what they can achieve, and fearless concerning race relations and working together to effect change. “I believe with the recent issues that have been plaguing our community, work- ing together now is most important,” Cross said. “Dr. Ross did a phenomenal job gal- vanizing all participating men with what I think was a most thought-provoking word, but also a challenge of self-examination, both personally and racially.” Vandiver, who also spoke at the retreat, said Ross challenged the men “to be a better, more fearless version of ourselves as we seek to advance the kingdom of God through the spread of the Gospel.” In his own presentation, Vandiver said, “I had the opportunity to encourage the attendees to understand the difference between fear that paralyzes and fear that causes us to reverently pause to consider Christ in critical moments of life.” Ross sees the retreat as part of a series of activities with significance for the two con- gregations and beyond. “Given all that has been in the news this year regarding events in places like Ferguson and Charleston, it is noteworthy that there are efforts going on in Augusta to bridge the racial divide, and that Erskine has a part to play in this effort.” Cross noted that the men’s ministry of Tabernacle Church is called “the Bridge Builders,” and he is enthusiastic about plans he and Barrett are making. “This recent retreat, I believe, has birthed that bridge-building process,” he said. “It shows our community that if local churches, both white and black, can fel- lowship, have a genuine understanding of each other, and work together, then hon- estly, our nation can learn from this effort and do the same,” he said. “The church should lead the way.” Seminary provides ‘unifying presence’ in Augusta ‘THE CHURCH SHOULD LEAD THE WAY’ Tabernacle Baptist Church,Augusta, Ga. Erskine launches online master’s degree this fall In late June, seminary leadership learned that its accreditors had approved plans to offer the Master of Arts in Theological Studies (MATS) as an online degree. To meet the 48-hour course requirements, the degree may be taken entirely online or in combination with on-site courses as desired by the student. The online MATS degree was proposed in part because it allows students to complete a degree in a shorter time and graduate with less debt. The streamlined MATS may appeal to the growing number of younger adults seeking theological education as well as to older students who desire credentialing for ministry opportunities in local congregations and parachurch organizations. 12| |13
- 8. The meaning of itall. The meaning of it all. |1514| The dynamics of knowledge and information have changed dramatically in recent years. Elementary students around the globe have at their fingertips information that a generation ago was accessible only to a privileged few. When nearly any information is almost immediately accessible to anyone, the context of learning becomes more critical than ever. The motivations and objectives of the community of learners and their guides are critical factors in shaping outcomes. In the pages that follow, you will see just a few examples of how Erskine faculty, students, and alumni make knowledge meaningful in the classroom, in the lab, on the job, and in their communities.
- 9. O ne Friday amonth, Erskine Professor of Chemistry Dr. Joel Boyd opens his chemistry lab in Daniel•Moultrie Science Center to South Carolina homeschoolers, offer- ing them something they simply can’t get at home: use of Erskine’s state- of-the-art equipment and hands-on, individualized instruction in how to use it. But they aren’t learning from Boyd—at least not exclusively. The homeschoolers receive the bulk of their learning assistance from Ers- kine students, science majors who are themselves learning not only how to conduct research but also how to impart their knowledge to others, including those who don’t have the technical vocabulary science majors acquire at Erskine. The ability to effectively communicate scientific knowledge to various audiences, Boyd believes, is paramount to good sci- ence. He teaches his students that the need to communicate must drive the entire sci- entific process—from the formulation of a research question to experiment design and implementation. “Science should be and must be com- munications focused,” Boyd says. “It doesn’t matter what we invent or what we discover or what brilliant insights we have, if we don’t communicate our knowledge to the community of scientists—and beyond that to society at large—then we haven’t really accomplished anything.” Boyd aims to cultivate his students’ com- munication and teaching skills as much as their depth of scientific knowledge and technical know-how. Development of those skills starts early and continues throughout students’ time at Erskine. The monthly homeschool lab pro- gram, which last year was coordinated by a freshman chemistry education major, is just one opportunity stu- dents have to build upon their liberal arts foundation. Erskine chemistry majors also design and conduct ac- tivities in elementary and secondary school science classrooms. As part of their senior capstone experience, they present their own research to open audiences—not just to their science colleagues. And they make regular appearances at regional and national conferences such as those hosted by the American Chemical Society, from which Erskine received two national awards last year. In 2014, the American Chemical Society recognized Erskine’s ACS chapter with a Green Chemistry Award. The awards celebrate and promote chemistry research and application that protect and benefit human health and the environment, something Erskine chemistry ma- jors care deeply about. Said Dr. Joel Boyd, Professor of Chemistry at Erskine: “Green Chemistry makes an obvi- ous connection between our Christian commitment and our calling as scientists, and that is environmental stew- ardship. All Christians are called to be stewards of what we are given, whether those gifts are financial resources or the natural resources all around us. For that reason, Green Chemistry is a field to which we at Erskine, being the Christian chemists we are, feel especially called.” M ost people expect college to provide an encounter with an unfamiliar body of knowledge that leads to greater knowledge and understanding of the world. Yet, we want more from education than simply information. We not only want to know what exists, but why. How does this knowledge make a difference in our lives? From a biblical perspective, true knowledge is not only learned, it’s integrated into our lives. It changes us and changes our world. Scripture teaches that glorifying God is the foundation of real learning. Facts are only the beginning. Wisdom understands how facts relate to the meaning and purpose of our lives. Erskine’s intentionally relational approach to education provides a setting in which students and faculty together examine the deeper ques- tions of why and how in what they are learning. Many believe that a Christian academic context is narrow and restricted. In reality, the opposite is true. We believe that all truth is God’s truth. Erskine students are encouraged to exam- ine difficult questions and to explore ideas from different perspectives. This is productive because at the center of all that exists is the personal God of Scripture. In many academic contexts, seeking spiri- tual, supernatural, or theological perspectives is dismissed out of hand by secularist dogma. The only acceptable explanations are material or natu- ral ones. At Erskine we are also able to discuss and consider ideas, ethical dilemmas, and cultural and societal trends within the unchanging context of God’s Word – the Bible. Christians may address any topic with confi- dence rather than fear. Truth withstands scrutiny. Our understanding of many things can change based on a great many factors. God and His Word remain unchanging. We don’t need to fear knowledge or opinions that differ from ours. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The more our understanding aligns with Truth, the wiser we will be. While Erskine graduates receive a degree certi- fying a certain level of knowledge and proficiency in a particular field, at its core Erskine seeks to equip students to be skillful in making meaning that reflects Truth. True Knowledgeby President Paul Kooistra |1716| of communication The art science
- 10. The Core Curriculum,established by the college faculty in 2014, unifies all undergraduate programs at Erskine by seeking to develop students’intellect, character, and faith. It encourages students not only to find their own voice and discover their talents but also to recognize their responsibili- ties to others in community. Students journey twice through seven core competencies designed to pre- pare them to be resourceful and capable of responding wisely to op- portunities throughout their lives. “I’ll never use this again.” Foundational Courses introduce underclassmen to the different disciplines and prepare them for more advanced learning. Upperclassmen move through the core compe- tencies again in Formational Courses, which posi- tively challenge students’thinking about themselves, the world, and God, while honing skills and expanding knowledge. This illustration offers examples of many courses available to students in the Core. Not all classes are listed here, and some core competen- cies require more credit hours than others. The entire plan for Erskine’s Core Curriculum is in the catalog (p. 67), available at Erskine.edu. THE CORE CURRICULUM “I hate hearing those words. They simply aren’t true. To begin with, you never know when you might refer back to something you learned in a general education course. But even if after obtaining your degree you don’t think you utilize much of the material you learned while going through Erskine’s core curriculum, you haven’t wasted your time. Because the core curriculum isn’t just a series of boxes every student must check. It is a journey through which you learn how to think, communicate, and solve problems, skills far more valuable to professions like athletic training than most people realize. For example, being an effective athletic trainer requires knowing more than just anatomy. Athletic trainers must be relational. They must understand that an injury takes not only a physical toll but also an emotional, mental, and sometimes even spiritual toll. We teach our athletic training students to see beyond a person’s injury, to consider how an injury impacts not just the affected area of the body but the whole person. Reaching this kind of understanding requires exposure to a range of philosophies and examples, not just to the basic science of healthcare.” –Scott DeCiantis, Administrative Dean of the College and Athletic Training Curriculum Coordinator “The core curriculum isn’t just a series of boxes every student must check. It is a journey through which you learn how to think, communicate, and solve problems.” 18| |19
- 11. English majors dreadbeing asked what they will do with their degree. Literature professors always say, “You can do anything with an English degree,” and that’s true. But it leaves English majors with no clear path into any one field. This apparent disconnect between degree and career path applies to almost all of the humanities majors—what do you do with a B.A. in history, religion, or philosophy? This has led a practical-minded, vocal sector of the public to question the value of the humanities and even of the liberal arts in general. But as a literature professor, I continue to believe that the humanities are not only still relevant in today’s world but may be more important than ever. Dr. Christine Schott, assistant profesor of English, on the Isle of Skye in western Scotland this summer by Dr. Christine Schott CLEARLY PRACTICAL continued 20| |21
- 12. English majors, forexample, graduate with skills vital to success in any number of fields. They learn, most im- portantly, to write cogently and communicate clearly both in speech and in print. They learn to look beyond surface rhetoric to analyze motives, biases, and far-reach- ing implications of what seem at first to be simple situations. They learn to synthesize infor- mation, reconcile conflicting viewpoints, and think outside the box; in other words, they become problem solvers. Despite recent negative press about the humanities, both media and employers are gradually coming forward to point out that humanities majors are desirable in a wide variety of fields—especially in leadership—because they have these vital transferrable skills. But humanities majors have more to offer the world than their services as employees. I point out to my students that studying literature makes them better consumers (because they learn to recognize bias in advertisement), better citi- zens (because they learn to cut through political rhetoric), and better human beings (because they learn what it actually means to be human). Find your- self thinking the poor are just lazy and ignorant? Read John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath. Having a hard time understand- ing why anybody would hold to a system of beliefs different from yours? Read Yann Mar- tel’s Life of Pi. Think technology alone has the potential to solve the world’s problems? Read just about anything by Orson Scott Card or Ray Bradbury — or for that matter, watch the Terminator movies; film and lit- erature are just different forms of the same endeavor. Reading literature changes us: it might make us angry by exposing injustices that we had previously been able to ignore, or it might make us uncomfortable by challenging our assumptions about right and wrong, “us” and “them,” but it makes it impossible for us to stay the same. Once you see the humanity of people you had never thought about before, it becomes a lot harder to hate them. And when it becomes harder to hate, then it becomes easier to care. And if there’s one thing this war-torn, contentious world has too few of, it is people who care for others, even those they do not know, simply because we are all human. I am not saying that every student should be an English or humanities major; not everyone enjoys history or literature (a fact that contin- ues to mystify me, although I may be a little biased). But for those students whose souls Jean Layne Fretwell Moody ’91 didn’t set out to be an advocate for children with learning disabilities. But nearly 25 years after graduating, her Erskine experience as an English major, another Erskine gradu- ate’s inspiring story, and an unexpected family challenge have led Jeannie along that path. After Jeannie and her husband Eric Moody ’93 graduated from Erskine, they started a family and moved around the country as Eric pursued professional base- ball, playing for the Texas Rangers and other teams. Their happy family was thrown a curveball when their son was diagnosed with dyslexia at age eight. Eric and Jeannie were concerned about how they could help address his learning needs. Jeannie recalled a convocation during her time at Erskine in which Dana Black- hurst ’83 shared his experiences with dyslexia. “His story really resonated with me,” she says. Blackhurst faced serious challenges, but when he came to Erskine, an assistant professor of education, Katherine Chandler (later named Professor Emerita of Educa- tion), was leading a program focused on students with learning disabilities, and she became a cherished mentor to him. Eventually, Blackhurst gradu- ated, becoming an educator himself. In 2012 he opened the Chandler School, named for his mentor (who died last year) and dedicated to equipping children with language- based learning differences to reach their academic goals. Dana Blackhurst’s story provided some encouragement as the Moody family worked to help their son keep up with his studies. Jeannie noticed and appreciated the extra help her son received from an educational therapist at the Discovery Program of South Carolina. In fact, the assistance her son received was so beneficial that Jeannie resolved to offer help to other children with similar needs. She studied educational therapy and completed an internship with the National Institute for Learning Develop- ment (NILD). The Discovery Program uses NILD techniques that “encourage teachers to take a multisensory approach, and focus on clear thinking and Socratic question- ing that will prepare students with a strong educational core to create a basis for higher learning.” Jeannie has helped bring a branch of the Discovery Program to Newberry, S.C., part- nering with Newberry Academy to provide educational therapy for its students. “Having something like dyslexia affects everything,” she explains. “The children are very bright—they just have issues with reading or written explanations.” The Discovery Program helps develop students’ cognitive reasoning skills to help them understand material more fully. Jeannie Moody honed her skills in order to help children who, like her own son, need a boost, and she is thankful. “God orchestrated all the pieces,” she says. “I will forever be an advocate for those kids.” English major to the rescue An alumna delves into educational therapy to help her son and her students. Rachel Talbot ’15 contributed the material for this article and wrote an initial draft. She majored in English andVisual Art, graduating summa cum laude. are called out of their bodies by beautiful words, for those who forget to eat because they are so deeply involved in a history book, or for those who forego sleep because they’re asking the big questions that were raised in their philosophy class, it would be a shame to abandon what they love simply because some- one else has told them it isn’t “relevant.” The truth is that a humanities education is ben- eficial in every life calling, from stay-at-home parent to presi- dent of the United States. English majors do not need to defend their course of study to make it relevant; it already is. And they do not need to change their major to be em- ployable; they only need to aug- ment it.There is no fundamental conflict between the humani- ties and “practical” education. In fact, in the coming generation, I hope we will see the liberal arts increasing in cultural and market value as employers, educators, and students alike recognize how much the world still needs the humanities. “Clearly Practical,” continued “If there’s one thing this war-torn, contentious world has too few of, it is people who care for others, even those they do not know, simply because we are all human.” “No longer is rote memorization the main focus of education. Elementary and secondary schools are turning to inquiry-based models of instruction, where students are taught to ask questions and develop creative solutions to practical problems. Now more than ever, teachers trained in the liberal arts benefit from the emphasis on research, creativity, and independent thinking. At the same time, education majors acquire professional skills. So education majors get the best of both worlds.” -Dale Smith, Assistant Professor of Education Sarah DeVos ’14, Special Education 22| |23
- 13. In Mark’s Gospel,Christ tells his disciples that faith and fear are antithetical to one another. If you have faith, then you should have no fear. But are the faithful really without fear? Students in Dr. Robert Elsner’s Statistics and Experimental Psychology courses spent an entire academic year answering this question.They started by asking themselves a series of related ques- tions:What is faith? What are its defining characteristics? How do we know we have it? Why do we believe the particular things we believe? What is fear? What do we fear and why? Through their collaborative brainstorming, the students developed methods for defining and measuring faith and fear. They probed the faith and fear question from every conceivable angle, exploring it in a series of focus groups and designing experiments to determine how faith and fear are activated and interact in the brain.The result: scientific support for a theological proposition.The students discovered that as an individual’s faith increases, his or her fear decreases. Interesting enough. But what did it mean for Elsner’s students? What does it mean for us? “At Erskine we ask our students to frame questions in theological as well as scientific terms,” said Elsner, who encourages his students not only to seek new knowledge but to use the knowledge they attain to glorify God. At the end of their faith and fear project, Elsner’s students left his classroom with more than just some fun trivia.They left with a better understanding of what it means to be faithful. More importantly,they left empowered to become more faithful themselves and to help others do likewise. Tests of faith ... and fear He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” —Mark 4:40 EVERYONE THINKS ACCOUNTING IS BLACK AND WHITE, BUT IT’S NOT. There’s a lot of gray. To succeed in business, you need to know about history, ethics, economics. You need to know more than you learn in your business and accounting classes. The liberal arts background helps students develop the critical thinking skills needed to succeed in business and life. –Karen Mattison, Assistant Professor of Business Administration “While at Erskine I was given the opportunity to pursue my own research and present at a conference, an opportunity that the majority of my current peers did not experience. I became close friends with my professors, who pushed me towards excel- lence and helped me discover my passions in psychology. It was only after entering a doctoral program that I realized just how effectively Erskine prepared me for graduate school and working as a psychologist.” –Tillary Blackman ’13, Psy.D. candidate in Clinical Psychology, Adler University, Chicago, Illinois 24| |25
- 14. viewer/reader/listener in theact of making meaning, finding relevance—not only through analysis but by connecting emo- tionally with the meaning that the work helps us to make. Hannah Arendt writes in The Life of the Mind: “To lose the appetite for meaning we call thinking and cease to ask unanswer- able questions [would be to] lose not only the ability to produce those thought-things that we call works of art but also the capac- ity to ask all the answerable questions upon which every civilization is founded.” I think of that researcher at Clemson, a world-class scientist who operates ana- lytically and logically at a very high level. Yet in pursuing some of his work’s most daunting questions, his thinking turns to the imagination for a creative solu- tion. In that way he becomes rather an artist of the arteries, his lab something of an artist’s studio. I’m not sure he would appreciate that description. I want to be fair to this brilliant man, but I suspect that what drives him is what he consid- ers a purely scientific motive. And, writes Valois, “What makes art different from science is that the scientific method relies on proof and evidence.” Philosophers and scientists seek to uncover the way things are and how they work. Scientific efforts aim for truth or knowledge. Liberal learn- ing, the humanities in particular, privi- lege meaning and meaning-making over mere knowledge. And if Hannah Arendt was right, that priority—what she called the “appetite for meaning,” which is uniquely human—makes not only art but all human inquiry, including the scientific, even possible. Back at Mount Wachusett where Profes- sor Valois teaches, as also at Clemson and here at Erskine, faculty and administration are being pressed to articulate outcomes and to measure and quantify student learning as never before. This pressure accounts for a good bit of the scrutiny now brought to bear on the liberal arts and sciences. Valois fears that a learning outcome like “creating” will be co-opted by things like “creative problem solving” and “creative thinking,” skills more akin to analysis than imagination—skills that only engage part of the human being’s creative capacity. Frankly, this is precisely what I saw last spring at the first meeting I attended: The innovative approach aimed at transforming South Carolina public education is all about “creative thinking and problem solving.” For example, in one middle school, every sixth-grader has been given a laptop and a personal dashboard to measure progress on standards across all disciplines. High-stakes MAP test scores have risen dramatically, which bodes well for many of these stu- dents’ futures. I must applaud such an effort and its results. I want to be fair to it, too, but there’s more to human creativity than problem solving and logic. Valois explains this with a poignant example from her own life, one involving a group of profession- als well versed in creative problem solving: nurses. Professor Valois knows something about nurses. Four years ago she underwent “brutal treatment for a highly treatable cancer.” For a time she lost the ability to talk, swallow, drink, and eat. She had dif- ficulty communicating with her family, es- pecially her 4-year-old twins. She received plenty of support and encouragement, “But the most profound gift [she] received came from [her] college’s nurse,” who sent her a 13th-century poem called “The Guest House.” In translation, the poem begins, “This being human is a guest house. / Every morning a new arrival.” Valois explains: A metaphor is, by its very nature, a lie. Sometimes it’s a simple lie; sometimes not. I am not a house. But during my illness, the image of myself as a guest house was a lie that told a truth I needed to hear, a lie that helped me to endure pain and suffering by telling me that along with suffering, the house that I was would also be visited by other guests. The poem instructed me to “welcome and entertain them all! / Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows / who violently sweep [my] house, / empty of its furniture.” Radiation and chemotherapy did not just sweep me clean; they stole much that spring…The poem, though, insisted that I “treat each guest honorably. / He may be clearing [me] out / for some new delight.” The nurse had prescribed just the right medi- cine… [one] that my radiologist could not administer. Would the poem have shrunk my tumor? No. Did I not want a treatment plan guided by the latest in modern medicine, the result of careful study and years of research? Of course. I’ve heard it said that the arts and humanities are “nice to have” but not “need to have.” Four years ago, I needed a doctor who could treat my cancer with the most ef- fective medical protocol available, but I also needed someone who understood the emo- tional aspects of healing. Friends, that is why liberal learning will survive. That is why the humanities will not only survive but periodically flourish again. Because we are human. And humankind must have meaning, must make meaning. We can’t help it. Being wired this way is part of what it means to be made in God’s own image. This aspect of being human, which the humanities privilege even above mere knowledge, is not only liberal learning’s greatest value; it is a necessity and our great- est responsibility—as image bearers, and as teachers and learners. The entire text of Dr. Christie’s speech is available online at news.erskine.edu. A meeting I attended last spring introduced me to an innovative program designed to address several problems with South Carolina public education, including the need to better prepare high school graduates for positions requiring at least some post- secondary education. Recent polling indi- cates that a good job is the number one social value for people everywhere. It is the value driving much of the change and many of the pressures we’re feel- ing in higher education, especially at liberal arts institutions like Ers- kine. It is not, though, the highest value of liberal learning. Perhaps this is why many see the liberal arts as being in decline. But liberal learning has always sur- vived—indeed, at times it has flourished—and this will be the case for the future. Let me tell you why. At another meeting I attended, TEDx- Greenville, one of the presenters, a re- searcher at Clemson, spoke about elastin, the protein that allows many tissues in the body to resume their original shape after stretching or contracting. His presenta- tion culminated in a practical application of some of this research. Elastin doesn’t age well; this man’s lab had developed therapies to help improve the protein’s re- generative ability, but only at the cellular level. To treat entire human structures like arteries, muscles, or organs would be pro- hibitively tedious and expensive. So, he told us, he began to imagine: What if we could somehow transport the molecular building blocks of this protein and concentrate them on diseased tissues or areas at risk of degeneration? It sounded like a science fiction scenario as he de- scribed deploying nano robots 1/15th the thickness of a sheet of paper to the tissue walls of arteries in laboratory animals. But it wasn’t fiction. It was a science problem solved. And this solution has tremendous implications for future human health. It means something, potentially to a lot of people. But I hope you noticed that it began as an act of imagination. And that is the point: that for humans, meaning- making trumps knowledge. Imagination is the highest value of liberal learning. Works of imagination, of course, fall under the purview of the liberal arts and are the particular currency of the humani- ties. Humans create such works (usually) to convey meaning, which many people associate with truth. But “A work of the imagination is inherently an untruth, yet it is one that reveals a truth.” This from a recent post in The Chronicle of Higher Education, an essay by Michelle Valois, an English professor and chair of liberal arts and sciences and general studies at Mount Wachusett Community College. I will quote or paraphrase professor Valois at some length because she gets to the heart of the matter: A painting, a poem, or a dance is trying to express something important about the human condition, a truth that is revealed through intuition and feeling. The creator engages in logical and analytical thinking, too, but the act of creation is fueled by our capacity to intuit knowledge and beauty, to imagine what is not and never has been through a faculty different from reason. The receiver of the work can analyze it—a logical endeavor. But art also engages the Meaning Matters The highest value of liberal learning This article is based on a speech by Dr. Brad Christie, senior vice president for academic affairs. There’s more to human creativity than problem solving and logic. Imagination is the highest value of liberal learning. 26| |27
- 15. Got news orphotos to share? Email alumni@erskine.eduClass Notes CLASS OF 2013 Todd Handell has moved back to Spartanburg, his hometown, and is youth minister at his home church, Bethel United Methodist. Ashlee R. Newman is now Young Farmer and Rancher program coordinator at the South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation. CLASS OF 2013 (SEMINARY) The Rev. Brooks D. Willet passed his ordination exams in the Palmetto Presbytery (Presbyterian Church in America) and was ordained at Rose Hill PCA, where he is assistant pastor. CLASS OF 2012 Sarah Elizabeth Brown is finishing her second year at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), University of London, ranked as one of the top veterinary schools in the world. Aimee Dumouchel Gans directed Spartan- burg Repertory’s 2014 production of Amahl and the Night Visitors. She played Amahl’s mother in Erskine’s 2012 production. CLASS OF 2011 Brianna Prater Miller is an early inter- ventionist with The Vision Institute (TVI) of South Carolina, which assists visually impaired and blind children and adults. Joshua Scott Miller was a winner of the 2014 Apex Games. Contestants sprint between stations where they perform deadlifts, push- ups, weighted lunges, etc. He says getting into shape is “a marathon, not a sprint.” CLASS OF 2010 David Thomas Camak has joined the University of New Mexico lab of Thomas F. Turner for his Ph.D., studying genetics, evolution, and ecology of fish communities. He earned a master’s degree at South- eastern Louisiana University and is co-author of an article in Copeia. CLASS OF 2009 Jessica F. Skinner, who formed “Prettier than Matt” with Jeff Pitts, explained the band’s name. Someone asked why Matt Biddle, bass- ist for Pitts’ rock band, was not playing, and was told Matt’s electric sound didn’t fit the project. Someone said, “Well, she’s prettier than Matt,” and the joke became a band name. CLASS OF 2009 (SEMINARY) Dean Lollis, a former journalist, is pastor of Wightman United Methodist, Prosperity, S.C., a “community of faith with a trajectory pointed toward the Kingdom of God.” He and his wife Denise have one daughter, Grace. CLASS OF 2008 Jennifer Gennaoui Cartella, inducted into her high school’s Sports Hall of Fame in Glass- boro, N.J., in 2014, will be inducted into the Flying Fleet Hall of Fame in October 2015. Jaselyn Jennings was South Carolina Ms. Heart in the Miss Heart of the USA Pageant in 2014 and first runner-up in the national pageant. Started as a food drive for a rescue mission, the program has distributed millions of nonperishable food items. Jaselyn directed a pageant on the Erskine campus where more than 1,600 food items were collected. Jada Phillips Vanderlip, athletic trainer at Carvers Bay High School, George- town, S.C., became in- terested in the field while playing Erskine softball. “I thought it would be re- ally cool to help people get back to doing what they love after being injured,” she says. She is married to James H. Vanderlip III ’08. Kristen Gracien Turner and James D. (Jimmy) Turner report that Kristen is earn- ing a master’s in educational leadership, and Jimmy is a resident in anesthesiology at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. Their children are Grace (b. 2011), and Wesley (b. 2013). CLASS OF 2007 Caleb D. McMahan earned his Ph.D. at the University of Louisiana and is a collections manager at The Field Museum in Chicago. CLASS OF 2007 (SEMINARY) Chaplain (Major) James McNeely II retired from the United States Army after 23 years and is vicar of New Hope Anglican, Waterbury, Conn. He and his wife Alisa have four children and one granddaughter. CLASS OF 2005 David W. Dangerfield reports he earned a Ph.D. at the University of South Carolina in 2014. His dissertation: Hard Rows to Hoe: Free Black Farmers in Antebellum South Carolina. CLASS OF 2005 (SEMINARY) Benjamin Musuhuke is Liaison Offi- cer of UCLA-Rwanda, coordinating UCLA programs in Rwanda. He received a master’s in African Studies from UCLA, but is better known at Erskine as founder of Reach the Children of Rwanda International. CLASS OF 2004 Dr. Peter Bechtel, a graduate of Florida State University College of Medicine, has opened his practice at AnMed Health Specialty Care in Elberton, Ga. He completed a residency in General Surgery at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown, Pa. (2013). Erica Berg taught high school for six years before pursuing music as a full-time career. She formed the Erica Berg Collective and is a singer and songwriter with the band. “Decid- ing to play music full-time was the biggest leap of faith I’ve ever taken in my life,” she says. CLASS OF 2003 Banks Faulkner, who played baseball for the Flying Fleet before surgery sidelined him, has been a teacher and head baseball coach at Summerville High School for the past year. CLASS OF 2002 Matthew C. Dean has been named Lau- rens Center Director of the University of South Carolina Union. He and his wife, Lori Gilstrap Dean ’02, live in the Due West area and have three daughters and a son. CLASS OF 2000 Tara Lowe Brice was one of the Anderson Independent-Mail’s “20 Under 40” for 2014. She has been principal at Belton and Wright Elementary Schools and served on a South Carolina Education Oversight Committee task force. She and husband Joseph Douglas Brice ’01 have two daughters. Michael Todd Simpson, interviewed in Opera Warhorses, said the late Professor Emeritus of Music Dr. John Brawley told him, “... if you really apply yourself, you have what it takes. The sky is the limit!” Simpson, then 21, “de- cided that as long as the doors keep opening, I’ll continue to go through them.” CLASS OF 2014 Sydney Battersby received National Asso- ciation of Sports Medicine Certification as a personal trainer in June. Whitney A. Brown is head coach for the Lower Richland High School Diamond Hornets softball team—“I get to help these girls and lead them with the passion I have,” she says. Katie Busbee is business advocacy manager and Upstate Chamber Coalition government relations manager with the Greenville Cham- ber of Commerce. She interned in Congress and at the Statehouse. Jeremy Carrell earned the Master of Accoun- tancy from the University of South Carolina. He will join Cherry, Bekaert LLP in the fall. Christine Dumouchel finds the Marriage and Family Therapy graduate program at Converse “a lot of reading, but very interesting, too!” CLASS OF 2014 (SEMINARY) Martha Gregory Hill, organist at St. Peter’s Lutheran, Lexington, S.C., has been a church musician for 45 years. She has a special inter- est in family ministry and completed a practi- cum at Connie Maxwell Children’s Home. Morgan Allison ’13, above right, serves as chief of staff for S.C. Rep. James Smith (District 72). She reports that presidential candidate Hillary Clinton paid a visit to Smith’s office in May. Maria N. Cinquemani ’12 graduated from Clemson University in May 2014 with a master’s degree in history. continued on page 32 BLACK FRIDAY. CYBER MONDAY. 28| Mark your calendar to support Erskine December 1, 2015 A day for giving back
- 16. Marriages Listed by classyear in descending order. Angel N. Johnson-Shaver ’15 to Robert Shaver II ’15, June 14, 2014. Hannah Jane Bedwell ’14 to Joshua Tyler Fields, June 14, 2014. Tiffany Ruth Mills ’14 to Kirby McClanahan Thompson ’13, Dec. 20, 2014. Larz Chabra ’13 to Chas Anthony ’10, May 17, 2014. Casey Craft ’13 to Tyler Holbert, May 17, 2014. Sarah Jane Sills Tate ’13 to Andrew Robert Walker, April 18, 2015. Aimee Michelle Dumouchel ’12 to Stephen Gans, Jr., June 7, 2014. Kassandra Kitney Cutler ’11 to Andrew Tallarico, March 14, 2015. Amanda Catherine Griffith ’10 to Brandon Joseph Wright ’10, Nov. 15, 2014. Hannah Webb ’07 to Jason Franklin, Aug. 23, 2014. Karen M. King ’06 to John Clifton Long ’96, Oct. 12, 2014. Jason Roach ’06 to Kimberly Chu, Jan. 17, 2015. Tracey M. Ammons ’05 to Tommy Spires, April 13, 2014. Melissa Irene Casey ’05 to Kevin Hunter Jackson, June 21, 2014. David W. Dangerfield ’05 to Lauren L. Bailey, Dec. 20, 2014. Tara Vardon Cox ’04 to Carl Benjamin Setzler III, June 28, 2014. Marla Lynn Nelson ’02 to Christopher Thomas Duncan ’02, June 28, 2014. Sandra Elaine Flowers ’98 (Sem.) to Lewis J. Bezjak, June 14, 2014 We would love to publish your wedding announcement and photo. Email your digital file to news@erskine.edu. Photos work best if they’re at 300 dpi and at least 2 MB in size or larger. Photo Credits: Johnson/Shaver – Claire Diana Photography Bedwell/Fields – Lisa Rowland King/Long – Clay Austin Photography Dangerfield/Bailey – Sweetgrass Photography & Graphics Cox/Setzler – Lotus Creative Studios LLC 30|30| A B C D H I J F G D E I F H C K A J B G K E
- 17. Keep up withErskine on Facebook,Twitter, and Flickr. Connect from www.erskine.edu Class Notes CLASS OF 1996 (SEMINARY) Russell Alexander Morris, pastor at Har- vest Hills Church of God, Burlington, N.C., received a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the Postgraduate School of the South African Theological Seminary and is the author of two books, Christian Ethics: Where Life and Faith Meet and Truth Matters. He and wife Wanda have one daughter and three granddaughters. CLASS OF 1995 Sam Cotten received a master’s degree magna cum laude in Old Testament from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary in May 2014. CLASS OF 1994 Raphael M. Carr is executive director of the Georgetown County Alcohol & Drug Abuse Commission. He is also a board member for “A Father’s Place,” which offers education and services for fathers rebuilding their lives and families. He lives with his wife and three children in the Burgess community. CLASS OF 1992 Brian Madden has been named executive vice president of operations at The Blood Connec- tion, Inc. (TBC), where he previously served as chief operations officer. Tripp Boykin was inducted Feb. 12 into Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society for Education. CLASS OF 1991 John P. Gettys, Jr. of Morton & Gettys, a law firm in Rock Hill, S.C., has joined the advisory board of South State Bank. Members are chosen on the basis of business, civic, and community knowledge and involvement. Brent Lee Pack is general manager of Laurel Ridge Country Club, which boasts a golf course, the only clay tennis courts in western North Carolina, a pool, and a fitness center he planned. CLASS OF 1991 (SEMINARY) Michael A. Jones, executive director of Out- reach North America (ONA), an ARP Church agency, has used music in outreach and church planting as well as in worship. ONA Board Chairman Wes Spring said Jones has recorded music for TV and radio, “So, if you’ve ever heard ‘you deserve a break today, so get up and get away to McDonalds,’ you’ve heard Mike!” CLASS OF 1990 Mary James Anderson is chief officer of human resources for Horry County Schools. She was principal of Kingston Elementary, Con- way, S.C., for 14 years and worked in human resources for the past two years. CLASS OF 1990 (SEMINARY 1996, 1998) Wendy Herrmann Smith and her husband have a teenaged son and adopted a daugh- ter from China. One of her top priorities is “protecting her kids from the media’s harmful messages about beauty and the value of women.” She is turning her blog, “Beauty Battlefield,” into a Bible study, “Victory on the Beauty Battlefield: God’s Truth vs. the Culture’s Lies.” CLASS OF 1987 Dr. Anna P. Brawley is dean of the Alabama Iona Ministry School (AIMS), a school for ministry training non-stipendiary and bi- vocational clergy as well as laypeople. She is rector of St. Bartholomew’s, Florence, Ala. Raymond B. King is president and CEO of Zoo Atlanta. Attendance has increased by 30 percent during his tenure, which has included the zoo’s single largest fund-raising effort. He was voted Atlanta’s Most Admired Nonprofit CEO and listed in Atlanta Business Chronicle’s “Most Influential Atlantans” in 2012. William W. (Billy) Lesesne, Jr. is head coach of women’s soccer at the University of Geor- gia. He previously coached at Duke and at Vanderbilt and was head coach of the men’s and women’s soccer programs at Erskine. He and wife Katie have two daughters and a son. CLASS OF 1985 Glenis Redmond, Poet-in-Residence at the Peace Center for the Performing Arts in Greenville, served as Mentor Poet for the National Student Poets Program in 2014. CLASS OF 1983 Dr. Timothy P. Bradshaw has been named president and CEO of NeuroNano Pharma, Inc. His experience includes leadership in research at GlaxoWellcome and Tenax Thera- peutics (formerly Oxygen Biotherapeutics). CLASS OF 2000 (SEMINARY) The Rev. Clinton Edwards, Jr., pastor of Friendship Baptist Church, Aiken, S.C., was honored with a resolution by the S.C. House of Representatives March 15, the 10th anni- versary of his pastorate. He was praised for his work as a pastor and with Concerned Minis- ters Fellowship. CLASS OF 1999 Joseph M. O’Farrell III is Secretary for the 2015 Executive Committee of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Associa- tion. He grew up on the family farm, Ocala Stud, and worked in the financial and bank- ing industries before returning to manage the farm, a leading commercial breeder in Florida. Marianne Albert Yohannan, biology instructor at Tri-County Technical Col- lege, received the Presidential Medallion for Instructional Excellence, the highest award given to a faculty member. CLASS OF 1998 Jason Edward Fort says his novel Misguided, self-published through Amazon and Kindle, is “the story of a misguided Christian who let vengeance be his guide instead of God.” CLASS OF 1997 Melanie Seel Coetsee is lead speech-language pathologist at Sprout Pediatrics in Lexington, S.C. A feeding specialist, she also works with children with Down Syndrome and apraxia of speech and says, “I love being a part of ‘firsts’ for so many children as they learn to speak and communicate.” She and Rhyno Coetsee, founder and CEO of Sprout, have three sons. Donald L. Crowe was named to the Wood- mont High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2014. He led the Woodmont golf team to conference, Upper State, and state champion- ships in 1978 and 1979. He received a schol- arship to play golf at Erskine. Jeff Gephart is director of sales and marketing in the rehabilitation division of Zimmer Med- izin Systems, USA. A sports medicine major, he earned an MBA from Columbia Southern and was athletic trainer and clinical instructor at Georgetown, Davidson, and other schools. John Thomas Hellams, Jr. is vice president for denominational relations and chief of staff, Office of the President, Southern Bap- tist Theological Seminary. President R. Albert Mohler calls him “a man of rare gifts, deep commitment and an incredibly warm heart.” CLASS OF 1981 Deborah Lynn Osborne was inducted into the York County Sports Hall of Fame. At Fort Mill High she was all-time scorer in girls basketball. She played basketball at Erskine, became interim head women’s basketball coach, and also coached women’s softball to fifth place in the NAIA tournament. CLASS OF 1978 Leisa W. Myers, associate professor of nursing at Lander University, has been named to the Burton Center Board of Visitors. Trained as a forensic nurse examiner, she is a certified psychiatric mental health nurse. CLASS OF 1977 H. Douglas Hayes has been named director of security at Richard M. Campbell Veterans Home in Anderson, S.C. He has been active for many years in emergency medical services, fire services, and law enforcement. CLASS OF 1975 Winnie W. Goree is the founder of Atlanta Voice Lessons and Singer’s Resources. She has been active as a performer and voice teacher and says she is thankful for the foundation she received from Erskine College. Paul V. Pratt has been appointed community superintendent for the West Learning Com- munity by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. He previously served as executive director. Van Taylor, longtime men’s soccer coach at Lander University, where the soccer stadium was recently named for him, has stepped down to become director of development. He is married to Beth Taylor ’78. CLASS OF 1972 A. Patrick Austin, air traffic control special- ist at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport in Florida for 35 years, says, “We get very, very slow airplanes mixed in with very, very fast airplanes along with helicopters, corporate jets, et cetera.” He previously served as an air traffic controller in the U.S. Air Force. F. Michael Gaymon retired after 26 years as chief of the Chamber of Commerce in Columbus, Ga., which became the first five- star chamber in Georgia under his leadership. CLASS OF 1970 Eugene A. Weldon of East Coast Golf Man- agement was named “Father of the Year” for Family Golf Week, presented by PGA Tour Superstore. “I have played many important roles in my life…but none are more important and give me more pleasure than being a dad,” he says. He and wife Geri have three children. CLASS OF 1967 Roddey E. Gettys III, former CEO of Bap- tist Easley Hospital, received the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor. Under his leadership Baptist Easley was recognized as a top rural healthcare facility. Fred L. Lewis, Jr., a tour guide at the Burt-Stark Mansion in Abbeville, S.C., spoke at the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the arrival of Huguenots at New Bordeaux. Descendants and others met at John de la Howe School for the event. CLASS OF 1965 Dr. James G. Knox III has been named to the Limestone College Board of Trustees. Principal of Lewisville High in Richburg, he has also served on the South Carolina Pal- metto State E-cademy Board of Trustees. The Class of 1965 on Alumni Day 2015 continued on page 36 32| |33
- 18. BirthsListed by classyear in descending order. A son, Parker James, to Tiffany Driscoll Dagenhart ’10 and Jamey A. Dagenhart ’08 (Sem. ’12), Feb. 24, 2015. A son, Matthew William, to Megan Ferguson Goodwin ’09 and Craig M. Goodwin ’09, April 17, 2015. A son, David Ansel, to Marissa Mankin Morgan ’09 and Davey Morgan ’07, Sept. 13, 2014. A daughter, Margaret Anne, to Noelle Garvin Etheridge ’03 and Cliff Etheridge, Oct. 24, 2013. A son, Joseph Elliott, to Mary Katherine Gainey Frees ’02 and Patrick Frees, June 6, 2014. A daughter, Rebecca Elizabeth, to William McCloud Frampton IV ’03 and Sarah Eliza- beth Dickman Frampton, Oct. 21, 2014. A daughter, Josephine Grace, to Carolyn Bursley Tompkins ’02 and Jason Brent Tompkins ’02, Sept. 16, 2014. A daughter, Julie Baughton, to Luci Teague Vaughn ’02 and David Vaughn, Nov. 30, 2014. A son, J. Alexander (“Xander”) Truett, to Brenda King ’01, Jan. 17, 2013. A son, Noah Allen, to Staci Weisner Sawtelle ’98 and Rob Sawtelle, June 29, 2014. A daughter, Ellison Rebecca, to Marcia Chasteen Yeargin ’97 and Chris Yeargin, Sept. 18, 2013. A son, Henry Patrick, born Sept. 26, 2012, and a son, Benjamin William, born Aug. 7, 2014, to Elizabeth Patrick Linderman ’90 and Bill Linderman ’87. FRIENDS A son, Ross Pruitt, to Russ and Paige Gregg, Jan. 9, 2014. Russ Gregg is the women’s basketball coach at Erskine. CORRECTION In our last issue, we printed the wrong photo of Neil Edward Bolen Kuykendall, son of Patricia Bolen and J. Brooks Kuykendall ’97. Instead, we published the photo of Joshua Caleb, son of Patti Ward Davis ’05 and Clint H. Davis ’04 (Sem.) under the wrong name. We apologize for the error. Here are both photos, correctly identified. Photo Credits: Morgan - Helen Joy George ’07 Thompkins - Stacy Richardson Photography Please share photos and birth announcements with us! Photos work best if they’re at 300 dpi and at least 2 MB in size or larger. Email your digital file to news@erskine.edu. 34|34| A B C D FE I G H J E B H I D J C G F A K K |35
- 19. Got news orphotos to share? Email alumni@erskine.edu If you would like additional information on alumni listed here, please contact the Alumni Office at 864-379-8881 or alumni@erskine.edu. CLASS OF 1962 Dr. Robert L. Brawley is editor-in-chief of a two-volume work, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Bible and Ethics (2014), which contains 194 article-length entries. He is also author of a commentary on Luke for the Fortress Commentary on the Bible (2014). Jean Ann Miller Suggs and husband David celebrated their 50th anniversary with a large family gathering at Villa Tronco Res- taurant, site of their first date. They met in the “Interdenominational Twenties” group at First Presbyterian in Columbia, and have two children and four granddaughters. CLASS OF 1960 Pat Parker Mulligan retired from Anderson University in 1999, then taught English and did mission work in Russia as well as language and cross-cultural training in Turkey. When she retired a second time, her church, fam- ily, and friends established a scholarship at Anderson for international students and chil- dren of missionaries. CLASS OF 1959 Robert L. English, Jr., was inducted into the Professional Baseball Scouts Hall of Fame last year at the Charleston Riverdogs Stadium. Julie Wharton Cushing and husband Ed have moved to Carolina Village in Hendersonville, Class Notes N.C., and were interviewed for the Carolina Village news- letter. CLASS OF 1956 Joseph J. Spears, Jr., was inducted into the Gaston County Sports Hall of Fame. At Mount Holly High, he led girls basketball to four conference and two tourna- ment championships. CLASS OF 1954 (SEMINARY 1970) Dr. Clyde T. McCants reports he has retired from teaching at Richard Winn Academy. “At 81, I decided I was almost old enough to retire.” He preaches at White Oak ARP and teaches opera classes at the Shepherd’s Center. CLASS OF 1952 Dr. Rob Roy McGregor reports that Banner of Truth Trust, Edinburgh, Scotland, has pub- lished as an e-book his English translation of John Calvin’s Sermons on Job: Chapters 1-14. CLASS OF 1949 Dorothy Green Tribble and Dr. David E. Tribble are enjoying Laurel Crest, a retirement home built by First Presbyterian of Columbia (ARP). “They allow small dogs. Our 10-lb. dachshund is in my lap as I write,” Dorothy says. David works for son Ben, a surgeon, and does chores at their Lake Murray house. CLASS OF 1930 Dr. Joseph M. Gettys marked his 108th birthday April 23 with a celebration at the Presbyterian Home in Clinton, S.C. Gettys received an honorary doctorate at Erskine in 1984 and served on the Erskine Board of Trustees from 1970-76. His account of his life as a teacher, writer, administrator, and interim pastor can be found at news. erskine.edu/joseph- gettys In Memoriam Willyne Correll Sanders ’34, Nov. 19, 2014. Cecil Drake Gable ’35, Nov. 19, 2014. James Lindsay Carson ’38, Nov. 19, 2014. Sophie Dusenberry Meadors ’38, Dec. 12, 2014. Wade Baldwin MacDonald ’39, Sept. 14, 2014. Dorothy Simpson “Dot” Wise ’39, June 26, 2015. Albert G. Myers, Jr. ’40, Sept. 14, 2014. Sarah Alexander Pearce ’40, April 30, 2015. Hazel Elrod ’41, Sept. 14, 2014. Emily Washam Ferguson ’41, Nov. 28, 2014. Julian Moffatt Hemphill ’41, July 20, 2014. Mary Eloise Wylie Taylor ’41, Feb. 8, 2015. Annelle Plaxico White ’41, Nov. 11, 2014. William Barry Allison, Jr. ’42 Jan. 11, 2015. Phyllis Patterson Cheshire ’42, June 2, 2015. Arthur Beaufort Littlejohn ’43, March 24, 2015. John Charles McGill ’43, Nov. 11, 2014. Mary Louise Ameen Monsen ’43, May 22, 2015. Oscar Malon Nickles, Jr. ’43, March 17, 2015. Mary Elizabeth Rainey “Lib” Jenkins ’44, Sept. 1, 2014. Statia Ansley Ketchin ’44, April 1, 2015. Elvira McCalla Powers ’44, Oct. 28, 2014. Dr. Roy E. Beckham ’53 (Sem. ’56) recently enjoyed a hot-air balloon ride with daughter Ann Beckham Gainey ’72 as part of a Senior Wishes project at the Renaissance Retirement Community in Due West. Beckham, who called the ride “the highlight of my old age,” was an ARP pastor for 40 years. Eleanor Chesnut Richardson ’59 of Flat Rock, N.C., veteran Erskine volunteer and professional fund-raiser, was “humbled, appreciative, and thrilled” to receive the honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. The Rev. David Ralph Johnston, Jr. of Gibsonia, Penn., longtime Associate Reformed Presbyterian minister and mission developer, received the honorary Doctorate of Divinity, saying. “All that I am, all that I own, all that I will ever be belongs to Jesus Christ.” Henry C. ‘Dusty’ Oates, 88, died June 2, 2015. He was a veteran of World War II and earned his Erskine degree in the Class of 1951. A longtime coach, teacher, and school administrator, he spent several years at Ford High School in Laurens, S.C., and the re- mainder of his career at Dixie High School in Due West, where the football stadium was named in his honor in 1989. He was inducted into the Erskine College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996. Fondly known as “Coach,” he Dorothy ‘Dot’ Simpson Wise, 97, died June 26, 2015. A member of the Centennial Class of 1939, she earned her Erskine degree in home economics and pursued graduate work in counseling. She taught high school home economics and biology and also served as a guidance counselor. Later, she created and taught home economics for boys. An active churchwoman and community volunteer, she received the Alumni Distinguished Service Award in 2002 and remained an engaged alumna in her later years. She was featured in the documentary film Due West of Ordi- nary (2014) and delighted current students when she spoke about her college experience at a special convocation that year. Survivors include four children; one sister, Rebecca Simpson Stradley ’43; five grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. She was pre- deceased by her beloved husband, Bill Wise, and two grandsons. was a longtime member of the South Carolina High School Coaches Association. He was in- terviewed for the documentary film Due West of Ordinary, which premiered in 2014 during Erskine’s 175th anniversary celebration. He is survived by his wife, Professor Emerita of Education Zelda Gambrell Oates ’51; three sons, Dusty Oates, Jr. ’77, Richard Oates ’80, and Sam Oates ’82; a sister, Margaret Oates Somerville ’42; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. 36| |37
- 20. Anna Emmaline GriffithPorter ’60, Oct. 27, 2014. Frances Hazel Crowe Rampey ’60, Feb. 17, 2015. Frankie Moore Snipes ’60 Feb. 17, 2015. Donald L. Summers ’60, Sept. 19, 2014. Marion Elizabeth Blanks Weisner ’60, March 14, 2015. John Cobeen Chisolm ’61, May 17, 2015. Mary Ruth Fleming Corriher ’61, March 28, 2015. Annie Laura “Lollie” Mills Karney ’63, Jan. 11, 2014. Larry Dexter Gaillard ’63, Dec. 11, 2013. Linda Wolff Albert ’64, May 4, 2015. Terry Wayne Tyler ’64, Oct. 8, 2014. Gary Winfred Williams ’64, Jan. 31, 2015 Frank Stephen Fortson III ’65, Oct. 8, 2014. Phylis Ann Falls VanEvery ’65, Jan. 12, 2014. Joy Seawright Golden ’66, Dec. 15, 2014. James Sadler Nelson ’66, May 11, 2015. William Stevenson “Steve” Weston III ’66, Feb. 1, 2015. H. Dave Whitener ’66, Sept. 14, 2014. JamesE.Ellenburg’66(Sem.), Aug. 11, 2014. James Allen “Doodle” Gambrell ’67, May 11, 2015. Lewis V. Howell, Sr. ’68, March 19, 2015. William Clayton Richardson ’69 (Sem.), June 21, 2014. In Memoriam Leota Falls Deaton ’51, Feb. 26, 2015. Patricia Neill Maness ’51, June 11, 2015. Henry C. “Dusty” Oates ’51, June 2, 2015. Rosa Young Shaw ’51, May 18, 2015. James Alvin Shaw ’52, March 14, 2013. Peggy Brawley Bristol ’53, Dec. 4, 2014. Daniel Payton Leach ’53, July 20, 2014. Murdoch McKelway Calhoun ’53, April 3, 2015. Walter Edward Hickman, Jr. ’53 (Sem. ’59), July 20, 2014. Bobby J. Cooper ’54, Jan. 15, 2015. Mary Tucker McPhail ’54, Jan. 8, 2015. Charles Edward Williams ’54, Oct. 2, 2014. Robert F. Henry, Jr. ’54 (Sem. ’62), July 20, 2014. Janet Hanna Eden ’55, Dec. 29, 2014. Rev. Foster Barney Fowler, Jr. ’56, May 16, 2014. Vernon Marie Hammond Holder ’56, June 6, 2015. Harold E. Martin ’56, June 10, 2015. Charles D. Vermillion ’56, May 14, 2015. Clarice Smith Brown ’59, Dec. 23, 2014. Robert W. Bouknight ’60, Aug. 4, 2014. Albert Lee Hagen ’60, June 10, 2014. Margaret DuPree Lane ’60, July 4, 2014. Manetta James McLain Rhyne ’44, Sept. 21, 2014. Dr. Mary MatthewsTribbleTobin ’44, July 5, 2014. Ada Lee Loftis Brown ’45, Nov. 3, 2014. Margaret Johnston Degenhardt ’46, Nov. 3, 2014. Linda Wigington Gettys, ’46, July 4, 2014. Marion Martin Ritchie ’46, Dec. 4, 2014. Edwina Leathem Brown ’47, Jan. 9, 2015. NancyElizabethMcDonaldJervey’48, March 8, 2015. BenjaminDeLaney Wyse,Jr.’48, Feb. 6, 2015. William Harold Leith ’49, July 21, 2014. Clarence “Red” Lowery ’49, Jan. 16, 2015. William James Reid ’49, August 21, 2014. Shirley Ringhausen Swiney ’49, Nov. 24, 2014. William Henry Bennett ’50, Aug. 2, 2014. Horace Blackston ’50, June 11, 2014. James Ray Brown ’50, Feb. 1, 2015. Joyce Gene Griggs Kirkland ’50, Nov. 13, 2013. W. Louis McGee ’50, Nov. 24, 2013. John Edwin Willard, Jr. ’50, July 31, 2014. Benjamin Bell Bleckley ’51, Jan. 16, 2015. John J. Corsi ’51, June 29, 2015. Alumni Day Alumni gathered at Erskine April 25 to renew friendships, honor the achievements of fellow graduates, and prepare for another year of alumni involvement. Outgoing Alumni Association president Steve Southwell ’80 passed the gavel to incoming president Andy Byrd ’88. Visit news.erskine.edu to read more about Alumni Day and each of the award recipients profiled here. Alumni Distinguished Service Award Richard G. Taylor ’69 Outstanding Young Alumni Award April Clayton ’08 Erskine Service Award William M. Frampton IV ’03 Sullivan Awards Sarah Wightman Brice ’71 Douglas O. Jones ’54 (Sem.) Honorary Alumna Janice H. Haldeman Dr. Richard Taylor ’69, this year’s Alumni Distinguished Service Award winner, said, “Pray for the college, support the college, give if you can, and pray some more.” Joseph Brice ’01 accepted the Sullivan Award for Sarah Wightman Brice ’71, his mother. With him are, from left, his wife, Tara Lowe Brice ’00, and daughters Elizabeth and Caroline. The Rev. Michael Jones ’91 (Sem.) accepted the Sullivan Award for his father, Dr. Douglas Jones ’54. Dr. April Clayton ’08 accepted the Outstanding Young Alumni Award in absentia. She said she is “truly honored” to be chosen for this award. Will Frampton ’03, shown with wife Sarah and daughter Becca, was honored with the Erskine Service Award. Katherine Baker Chandler ’70, Oct. 20, 2014. James Wilson Jones ’70, Dec. 29, 2014. Vance Frederick Lusk, Jr. ’73, July 17, 2014. William Wayne Wells ’73, Nov. 11, 2014. Susan Alleyne McCrae Moore ’74, August 2, 2014. Paula Linda Mims ’74, May 18, 2013. R. Marion Canfield ’74 (Sem.), August 13, 2014. John Wiley Williams ’75, Dec. 1, 2014. Deborah Sue Hardin Davis ’76, Jan. 6, 2015. Tony Delano Grant ’77 (Sem.), July 28, 2014. Leslie Ann Pierce ’88, June 28, 2015. Robert William Wyatt ’89, August 24, 2012. Rufus Grady Bolton III ’94 (Sem.), June 25, 2014. Michael Keith Neely ’03 (Sem.), June 25, 2014. Carl Aldrich Frady, Jr. ’03 (Sem.), Jan. 11, 2015. FRIENDS Dr. Wilfred A. Bellamy, 80, June 1, 2015. Dr. Thomas Henry Gorry, 79, April 15, 2015. Lee Ellis Hall, 62, June 19, 2014. Harry Theodore Schutte, April 17, 2015. Terry Parker Wallace, 76, June 19, 2014. 38| |39
- 21. P.O. Box 338,Due West, SC 29639ERSKINE OUR ERSKINEc es h e HOMECOMING OCTOBER 16-17 LEARN MORE AT ERSKINE.EDU