Digest - Abilene Christian University

N EWS BY
September
3-4 VB at San Bernardino, Calif., tourney
3-4, 10-11
Fall Dinner Theatre,
“Barefoot in the Park,”
Fulks Theatre
4 FB at Central Oklahoma, 6 p.m.
7 VB, Lubbock Christian, 7 p.m.
10 CC, ACU Classic
VB at St. Mary’s, 7 p.m.
11 FB, Northeastern State, 6 p.m.
VB at Incarnate Word, 2 p.m.
14 VB at Texas Woman’s, 7 p.m.
16 Lectures on Preaching
17 VB, Texas A&M-Commerce, 7 p.m.
18 FB at Tarleton State, 7 p.m.
CC at Missouri Southern Stampede,
Joplin, Mo.
VB, Southeastern Okla., 2 p.m.
21 VB at St. Edwards, Austin, 7 p.m.
24-25 VB, LSC crossover tourney
Freshman Follies
25 *FB at Eastern New Mexico, 6 p.m.
30 *VB, West Texas A&M, 7 p.m.
October
2 CC at OSU Cowboy Jamboree,
Stillwater, Okla.
*VB, Eastern New Mexico, 11 a.m.
FB, Southeastern Oklahoma , 2 p.m.
5 VB at Lubbock Christian, 7 p.m.
7 *VB at Tarleton State, 7 p.m.
9 *VB at Texas A&M-Kingsville, 2 p.m.
*FB, Angelo State, 2 p.m.
12 VB, St. Edward’s, 7 p.m.
14 *VB at Angelo State, 7 p.m.
16 *FB at West Texas A&M, 6 p.m.
CC at Chile Pepper Festival,
Fayetteville, Ark.
21 *VB at Eastern New Mexico, 7 p.m.
23 *VB at West Texas A&M, 7 p.m.
*FB, Texas A&M-Commerce, 2 p.m.
CC at LSC, Durant, Okla.
22-24 Homecoming Musical, “Kiss Me
Kate,” Abilene Civic Center
Homecoming Preview Weekend
28 *VB, Texas A&M-Kingsville, 7 p.m.
29 Fall Break
30 *VB, Tarleton State, 2 p.m
*FB at Texas A&M-Kingsville, 7 p.m.
Legend for calendar:
MBB, men’s basketball; WBB, women’s basketball;
CC, cross country, FB, football; VB, volleyball.
24 ACU TODAY � Fall 2004
WENDY KILMER
New program brings
Malagasy students
to campus this fall
This fall, ACU welcomes
22 students from the Republic
of Madagascar through a full
scholarship program initiated by the
nation’s president and designed to
develop future Malagasy leaders.
The island nation off the coast
of Africa sent 22 students to attend
ACU through the Madagascar
Presidential Scholars Program,
which was initiated by President
Marc Ravalomanana.
The agreement was formalized
in April between Ravalomanana
and ACU vice president for
development Dr. John Tyson
(’81). Tyson was in the country as
part of the second U.S.-Madagascar
Business Council trade mission.
“We are honored to be partners
with Madagascar as the government
takes this bold step to educate
future leaders,” Tyson said. “Our
mission is to educate students for
Christian service and leadership
throughout the world, so we are
excited to help prepare young
leaders of Madagascar to return
home and strengthen their nation.”
Early estimates for fall enrollment
at Abilene Christian are near
record-high, and summer enrollment
for 2004 increased more than eight
percent from 2003.
Official numbers for Summer I,
Summer II and Maymester courses
show a total of 1,787 students
enrolled, compared to last year’s
total of 1,652.
Summer enrollment spiked in part
because of the addition of Summer
Online classes. For the first time,
undergraduate students did not have
to be in Abilene to participate in
summer classes.
“Students are taking advantage of
ACU’s summer offerings, including the
new online courses,” said executive
vice president Jack Rich (’76). “It’s
encouraging to see more students
staying connected with ACU during
the summer.”
TOM DEKLE
Employees cheer as they greet Malagasy students arriving for an official welcome
reception and press conference Aug. 4 in the Sowell Rotunda.
Scholarship recipients represent
15 of 22 regions of the country,
including all six provinces.
Students who were accepted into
the program started at ACU this
fall, and their tuition is being paid
by the government of Madagascar.
To earn this prestigious
four-year scholarship, students
were required to meet Abilene
Christian’s academic and
language qualifications, including
proficiency in English.
Representatives from ACU’s
Admissions Office and Center
for International and Intercultural
Education visited Madagascar in
June to interview and help select
scholarship recipients.
“ACU regularly attracts students
Summer Online Courses were
introduced this year and included
five sections each of two
sophomore-level courses. More
classes may be offered in the future.
“I’m pleased with this first
undergraduate online offering,” said
director of educational technology
George Saltsman (’90). “We’ve
exceeded our initial goals.”
In addition, applications for the
2004-05 school year topped 4,000
for the first time ever. As of late July,
ACU had received 4,034 applications.
The number of new students
confirmed to attend in the fall is up
by about 80 students, at about 1,300.
“It looks like this class will at
least be in the top three largest
classes ever,” said director of
admissions Robert Heil (’95).
Heil said the increase is most likely
a result of various new initiatives
from more than 60 nations, and we
look forward to the enrichment the
Malagasy students will add to our
diverse campus environment,”
Tyson said.
Students who accepted the
scholarship agreed to return to
their home nation for at least two
years upon graduation, according
to Madagascar’s Minister of
Education, Dr. Haja Razafinjatovo.
The students arrived in
Abilene Aug. 3 and spent more
than two weeks learning about
ACU, Abilene, Texas and the U.S.
during orientation activities such
as English as a Second Language
courses, classes on American
culture, and social events and
outings around town. �
Summer enrollment shines, fall enrollment could be near record
designed to increase personal
recruiting through alumni volunteers
as well as the hard work of ACU’s staff
of admissions counselors and the
strategic marketing team.
“Our Church Champions, the
Back-to-School Bashes, the Purple
and White Parties, and the alumni all
over the nation who are volunteering
at these and other activities have really
expanded our recruiting presence,”
Heil said.
New career preparation programs
such as Discovery, Body and Soul, and
FastTrack also may have contributed
to the increase in recruiting success.
Discovery helps prospective
students select a major; the Body and
Soul program aids students planning to
enter health professions; and FastTrack
provides extra learning opportunities
for top students in the College of
Business Administration. �

Foster’s scholarship
contributes to
new church history
encyclopedia
The first-ever comprehensive
reference book on the
Stone-Campbell Restoration
Movement debuted June 26
at a bicentennial celebration at
Cane Ridge, Ky.
Dr. Douglas Foster, ACU
professor of church history
and director of the Center for
Restoration Studies, was one
of three general editors of
the Encyclopedia of the
Stone-Campbell Movement.
The book, published by
Eerdmans, includes more than
700 original articles by 300 authors
covering every aspect of the history
and theology of the movement.
The introduction of the
encyclopedia coincided with the
bicentennial of the signing of the
Last Will and Testament of the
Springfield Presbytery, which also
marked the 200th anniversary of
the Churches of Christ, Disciples of
Alumni have already begun aiding
the Centennial Collections Task
Force by sending in ACU archives
and artifacts.
Currently, class rings from various
years top the list of requests from
the Centennial
Collections Task
Force. Several
alumni have sent
in their rings or
those of their
parents and
grandparents,
and more are
needed to
complete the collection.
The task force is especially
interested in the communion table
and two chairs used at the College
Christ and Christian Churches,
all of which share a heritage in
the Stone-Campbell Movement.
On June 28, 1804, Barton
W. Stone and five other ministers
of the Presbyterian Church signed
the Last Will and Testament, which
declared freedom from creeds
and the clerical system and called
for union “with the body of
Christ at large.”
The document is considered
the starting point of the
Stone-Campbell Movement,
which brought about the Churches
of Christ, Disciples of Christ
and Christian Churches.
The encyclopedia is an
unprecedented collaboration
between the three streams of
the movement, Foster said.
“Writers, board members
and the three general editors have
modeled a spirit of cooperation
and unity because of our shared
commitments and shared heritage,”
Foster said. “People who wouldn’t
have been co-workers under normal
circumstances have collaborated
in a marvelous way to produce
this important volume and will be
forever together within its pages.”
(now University) Church of Christ that
met for years in Sewell Auditorium
(now Sewell Theatre). The committee
already has located the well-worn
lectern and the center chair, which
also were used for daily chapel.
Eight-millimeter and 16-millimeter
film from ACU’s post-World War II
through 1970s era also are top items
needed for the collection.
Game and practice films of
Wildcat student-athletes and teams
are especially welcome. For instance,
Ove Johansson (’77) shared a rare
film of his world-record 69-yard field
goal at Homecoming in 1976. And
former Olympian Billy Olson (’78)
shared his extensive collection of film
and videotape chronicling his training
and competition in the pole vault.
Alumni, emeriti and friends are
invited to submit their materials
to the university for selection for
preservation, storage and exhibits.
At www.acu.edu/centennial,
you’ll find instructions and a
link to the form you will need
to initiate a query about a
possible donation.
Artifacts selected will be
forwarded to a secure processing
and storage facility where they
The idea for the work originated
nearly 14 years ago, and the book
has been more than a decade in
the making. The publication date is
September, but bound text proofs
were available at the debut in June.
Foster said the book is aimed
at a general non-specialist audience
and will be an important and
thought-provoking resource.
“Knowing your history is part of
your spiritual formation – realizing
we are part of something larger,”
Foster said. “The Cane Ridge
event was an occasion for the three
groups to meet each other and
share time together. It is one of the
symbols of a new day – we’re
re-examining why we went our
separate ways. And it causes us
to ask, ‘Are our differences
significant enough to keep us from
enjoying and sharing fellowship?’
This encyclopedia will help us
understand ourselves better.”
Although it will be close to
900 pages in length, the reference
book will be priced at about
$45. It appears in Eerdman’s
fall catalog (www.eerdmans.com). �
Alumni responding to call for historical items for Centennial
Class ring worn by Earl Brown (’22)
STEVE BUTMAN
Lectern
used in
Sewell
Auditorium
will be evaluated for inclusion in
the Centennial and other exhibits.
Questions can be sent to
Centennial Collections Task Force
chair Dr. Charlie Marler (’55) at
charlie.marler@acu.edu. �
STEVE BUTMAN
Digest
NEWS
Two academic departments created,
three new chairs announced
Two new academic departments will
debut this fall. Dr. David Gotcher (’73)
will be the chair of the new Department of
Applied Studies that oversees the Bachelor
of Applied Studies program. Dr. Malesa
(Smith ’80) Breeding will lead the
Department of Communication Disorders,
which was previously a division of
the Department of Communication.
Dr. Darryl Jinkerson is the new chair of
the Department of Management Sciences in
the College of Business Administration.
New faculty added for 2004-05
Sixteen men and women were added to
ACU’s faculty this fall:
• Carisse Berryhill, associate professor
of library science
• Mike Fernandez, assistant professor
of theatre
• Kent Gallaher, associate professor
of agricultural and environmental
sciences
• Jaime Goff (’01), assistant professor
of marriage and family therapy
• Nancy Hildebrand, instructor of
nursing at the Patty Hanks Shelton
School of Nursing
• Tamara Kennedy, instructor of
student success
• Mark Phillips (’88), assistant professor
of management sciences
• Chandra Lewis-Qualls (’95),
instructor of English
• Charlene Reeves, assistant
professor of nursing at the Patty
Hanks Shelton School of Nursing
• Amy Roberts, associate
professor of nursing, Abilene
Intercollegiate School of Nursing
• Cheryl Schwiethale, instructor
of mathematics
• Susan Teel (’85), instructor of music
• Dwayne Towell (’86), assistant
professor of computer science
• Hilary Walton (’00), instructor
of English
• Jeffrey Wherry (’77), professor
of psychology
• Shaitaisha Winston, instructor
of special education
Development program wins
national CASE award for
performance
ACU’s fundraising efforts received
national recognition by the Council
for the Advancement and Support
of Education (CASE) at its annual national
meeting in San Diego in July. ACU was one
of 37 universities to receive a CASE/Wealth
ID Award for exemplary development
operations, honoring overall performance
or overall improvement in fund raising.
Fall 2004 � ACU TODAY
25

NEWS
November
2 *VB, Angelo State, 7 p.m.
5 VB, Incarnate Word, 6 p.m.
WBB, Dallas Diesel, 8 p.m.
6 VB, St. Mary’s, noon
*FB, Midwestern State, 1 p.m.
CC at NCAA Div. II South Central
Regional, Joplin, Mo.
11 WBB at Southern Methodist, 7 p.m.
11-13 VB at LSC Post-Season tourney,
#1 North seed
12 MBB at Arkansas, Fayetteville,
7 p.m.
13 MBB at Western Kentucky,
7:30 p.m.
15 WBB, Texas-Permian Basin, 7 p.m.
16 MBB, Rhema Bible College, 7 p.m.
19-20 WBB at St. Edward’s Classic, Austin
MBB, ACU Tip-Off Classic
20 CC at NCAA Div. II Championship,
Evansville, Ind.
24 Thanksgiving holidays begin after
evening classes
29 MBB at St. Edward’s, 8 p.m.
26-27 WBB, ACU Classic
December
2 WBB, Tarleton State, 6 p.m.
MBB, Tarleton State, 8 p.m.
4 MBB, S.W. Assemblies of God,
4 p.m.
9 MBB, Texas-Permian Basin, 7 p.m.
10 Commencement, 7:30 p.m.
11 WBB at Central Oklahoma, 6 p.m.
MBB at Central Oklahoma, 8 p.m.
13 WBB at Northeastern State, 6 p.m.
MBB at Northeastern State, 8 p.m.
17-18 MBB, ACU Christmas Classic
20 WBB, St. Edward’s, 6 p.m.
26
ACU TODAY � Fall 2004
Innovative program
helps students make
healthy choices
Late into the evening on Oct. 9
of last year, clusters of freshman
women lingered in the lobby of
Gardner Hall chatting about
magazine articles, super-models
and advertisements.
But these ACU women weren’t
debating the latest beauty and
fashion trends – they were opening
Alumni help send
students back to
campus in style
Back-to-School Bashes were
held in 19 cities and five states
this summer, helping ACU alums
celebrate their alma mater and the
students from their hometowns
who will attend it this fall.
Events were held honoring
up about body image and eating
disorders. And the conversations
were intentional. They were
directed by students trained to help
their peers deal with just such issues.
For the second year in a row,
ACU students have the chance to
help each other face health and
wellness issues through the Peer
Health Education program.
Last year, six women students
served as certified peer health
educators and helped plan health
and wellness events on campus,
students in Abilene, Amarillo, Austin,
College Station, Coppell, Dallas,
Denison, Fort Worth, Arlington,
Houston, Lubbock, Midland, San
Antonio, Waco and Wichita Falls.
Out-of-state events included Kansas
City, Kan.; Nashville, Tenn.; Phoenix,
Ariz.; and Tulsa, Okla.
For more information or to
set up a party for your hometown
next summer, contact the Alumni
Relations Office at 800-373-4220 or
325-674-2622 or alumni@acu.edu. �
Dr. Bill (’48) and Virginia (Neece ’42) Kirk, sophomore Kayla Anderson and
freshman Darby Hewitt attended the Waco Back-to-School Bash on July 29.
Larry Musick (’84), Jane (Cecil ‘74) Travis, Seth Pinson, Jeremy Davis and ACU
trustees Doug Smith (’60) attended a Back-to-School Bash in Nashville Aug. 5.
Pinson (of Cookeville, Tenn.) and Davis (of Chattanooga, Tenn.) are recipients
of a special scholarship awarded to freshman students. Renamed the
ACU-Dee Travis Sr. Endowed Memorial Scholarship this year, it aids students
in the middle Tennessee and southern Kentucky area and now honors
the memory of Dee (’73), an ACU trustee who died suddenly in January.
such as the one in October that
featured a presentation by a woman
who struggled with anorexia and
ended with group discussions about
the effect of magazines, models and
advertisements on body image.
These students also are specially
trained to offer a listening ear,
referrals and information about
issues ranging from sexual purity
to alcohol abuse.
This year the number of peer
health educators rises to 10 and
includes both men and women.
“This really gives students
an extra contact,” said Heidi
(White ’98) Morris, director of the
program and a therapist for ACU’s
counseling center. “The peer health
educators challenge their peers to
think and act differently.”
Morris along with Wayne
Barnard (’80), dean of campus life
and assistant provost for student
development, started researching
the possibility of peer health
education two years ago. ACU’s
program was launched in 2003
using curriculum from Bacchus and
Gamma Peer Education Network.
Peer education is based on
research that indicates people are
more likely to listen to messages
from people who are similar to
them, Morris said. Students will be
more effective than faculty, staff or
administrators in communicating
health and wellness messages
to each other.
Students who apply and are
accepted into the program undergo
special skills training and learn
about topics such as alcohol and
substance abuse, sexual issues,
eating disorders, body image,
violence, cultural diversity,
spirituality and relationships.
After training, the students are
certified through Bacchus and
Gamma Peer Education Network.
Last year, the students conducted
a needs assessment and sponsored
events such as an eating disorders
awareness program, forums on
dating and sexual purity, sexual
assault awareness activities, and
Wellness Week.
In the coming year, the program
will focus on topics such as eating
disorders, pregnancy, pornography
and alcohol. �

Centennial Annual Fund Donor Report now available online
With a strong response to an anonymous challenge,
alumni and friends helped ACU exceed the 2003-04
Centennial Annual Fund goal by nearly a quarter of
a million dollars.
The challenge, ultimately worth $350,000, was first
announced last November and extended
during the spring. It was met with
qualifying gifts from 2,565 alumni.
Thanks to this challenge and the
strong response to it, ACU’s Centennial
Annual Fund received $1.54 million
compared to its $1.3 million goal.
This year, ACU’s Annual Fund
Donor Report is conveniently located
online. For a listing of donors who made
this success possible, visit www.acu.edu/donorreport.
Annual Fund gifts came from 5,350 donors in 37 states
plus Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Top class honors go to 1954 with a 41.7 percent
participation rate. Top social club honors were earned
by Kappa Chi/Cadettes at 20.4 percent, and the highest
participation from a currently active social club was Ko Jo Kai
at 19.2 percent. For more class and club stats, visit
www.acu.edu/donorstats.
In addition to information about classes and clubs, this
year’s online donor listings include a first-time list of
Pathfinders – those who have given to the Annual Fund each
year for more than 10 consecutive years. You’ll also find a
report on how your donations were used and much more.
“We are thrilled with the outcome and thankful for every
generous heart who blessed the lives of others with a gift,”
said Annual Fund co-chair Byron Ellis (’88) of Houston.
“I hope you will join me in celebrating our success and give
thanks to our gracious God who has blessed Abilene
Christian for 98 years.”
For the 2004-05 school year, ACU has received
a renewed challenge for all new monies given to the
Centennial Annual Fund. To see the details of the
challenge, visit www.acu.edu/challenge. To receive
this challenge grant, we will need gifts from more than
Theme, keynote
speakers set for 2005
Bible Lectureship
The 87th annual Bible
Lectureship at ACU will look at
the book of Colossians focusing
on the theme “Since You Have
Been Raised With Christ.”
The annual ACU event will
take place Feb. 20-23, 2005.
“We want to emphasize the
resurrection and how that event
shapes faith,” said Dr. Mark Love
(’82), director of ministry events.
“We want to particularly emphasize
Christ’s continuing presence with
His church. Colossians allows us
to explore that emphasis in many
different ways.”
Keynote speakers:
• Billy Wilson, Glasgow, Scotland,
Sunday evening, “He Has
Rescued Us”
• David Holmes, Malibu, Calif.,
Monday morning, “He is the Image
of the Invisible God”
• Harold Shank, Memphis, Tenn.,
Monday evening, “Christ in You,
The Hope of Glory”
• Prentice Meador, Dallas, Tuesday
morning, “You Were Buried With
Him in Baptism”
• Billy Curl (‘66), Los Angeles, Tuesday
evening, “Since You Have Been
Raised With Christ”
• Phil Ware (‘77), Abilene, Wednesday
morning, “Let the Word of Christ
Dwell in You Richly”
• Randy Harris, Abilene, Wednesday
evening, “That We May Declare the
Mystery of Christ”
In addition to the theme lectures,
several classes will explore Colossians
and the nature of resurrection faith.
Recent Lectureship additions such as
Gospel and Culture, Art and Faith,
and Praise and Prayer also will be a
part of 2005 Lectureship.
A new track called Marketplace
1,000 additional alumni during the coming school year.
Centennial Annual Fund and all other current use gifts
benefited students in the following areas:
Scholarships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $565,954
Biblical Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $229,098
Business Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $599,872
Arts and Sciences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $981,095
Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $506,083
Special projects/general use . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,778,379
Total of all current use gifts . . . . . . . $4,660,481
Other general statistics about donors to the Centennial
Annual Fund:
Best of the Legacy Years (Classes prior to 1948)
Class of 1945 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38.2 percent
Best of the Loyalty Years (1948-66)
Class of 1954 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41.7 percent
Best of the Boomers (1967-84 )
Class of 1973 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20.8 percent
Best of the Young Graduates (1985 to the present)
Class of 1993 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20.2 percent
Top Classes and Participation Rates:
1954 – 41.7 percent
1945 – 38.2 percent
1946 – 34.2 percent
1935 – 33.3 percent
1941 – 32.1 percent
Faith will feature classes, forums and
other special events that encourage
church leaders to help church
members see their workplace as a
venue for ministry and worship.
“As North America increasingly
becomes a mission field, our
members will need to understand
their lives as vocational ministry,”
Love said. “The church can no
longer be content to be a place
where certain things happen;
it must see itself as a people sent
on a mission. Marketplace faith
is an essential aspect of the
church’s sending.”
As a part of the Marketplace
Faith track, Abilene-area churches
will sponsor a breakfast event each
morning for Lectureship attendees
and local professionals. The
theme for the breakfasts will
be Spirituality at Work and
will feature various speakers. �
Digest
NEWS
2004 Christmas ornament on sale
The second in a series of ACU
commemorative Christmas ornaments
is now on sale and can be ordered in time
for Christmas delivery (see card inserted in
this issue).
Sponsored by Women for ACU, the
2004 ornament features the World Missions
Globe in the Biblical Studies Building's
Sowell Rotunda. The etched-brass
ornament sells for $25 plus $1.50 shipping,
features a 24kt gold finish and arrives in a
custom gift box. Ornaments in the series
will spotlight historical buildings and
significant moments in ACU's first 100
years.
A limited number of 2003 ornaments –
the first in the series, featuring the Hardin
Administration Building – are still available.
See www.acu.edu/alumni or call
800-373-4220 to order.
Three to receive Gutenberg awards
Three ACU graduates have been named
winners of Gutenberg Awards for 2004.
The awards will be presented at a dinner
Thursday, Oct. 21, at 6 p.m. in Teague
Special Events Center during Homecoming.
Award winners are Loren Halifax (’91)
of Kansas City, Mo., morning anchor for
WDAF-TV; Craig Smith (’84) of Keller,
president of World Bible Translation
Center; and Lt. Col. Monty Brock (‘84)
of Mountain Home, Idaho, U.S. Air Force.
For tickets or more information,
call the JMC office at 325-674-2296
or 325-674-2812.
Residence hall to house new
learning community for men
McDonald Hall, which opened in 1929
and formerly housed sophomore women,
will house freshman men next year in a
plan to create a new type of learning
community for students.
The freshman men invited to live in
the McDonald Living and Learning Hall
will be members of Bible-related learning
communities and business-related
freshman seminar courses.
A learning community is composed
of 15-25 freshmen who enroll in two or
three common courses that have content
coordinated to complement each other.
This new living arrangement will
act as more than just a solution to the
overcrowding in freshman men’s residence
halls, said Dr. Mimi (Simons ’81) Barnard,
director of residence life education
and housing.
“ACU has a holistic vision regarding
the development and education of
students. We educate them both inside
and outside the classroom,“ Barnard said.
“This gives the university a purposeful
way to move from just housing students
to truly developing a venue for
meaningful interaction.”
Fall 2004 � ACU TODAY
27