Informer - University of Sioux Falls

Student-led ministry strengthens campus’ spiritual growth
In the fall of 2009, six USF students in a
moment of spontaneity stood together at the
cougar statue on campus and prayed.
“It was a really powerful moment,” says
Chris Hull.
The six met again the next week and Prayer
Group was formed.
“Over time, it grew and grew. We grew
out of rooms and incorporated more things,
and then we started strategizing leadership
and evangelism,” says the senior theology/
philosophy major from Guernsey, Wyo.
The group’s hallmark is student-led
fellowship.
“It’s had a huge impact on my life in that I
have been able to see how God has affected
other people’s lives,” says music education
major Rachel Olsen from Huron, S.D. “It is
a chance to interact with other believers and
grow from their experiences.
“Often you go to different events on
campus, but Prayer Group is about getting out
of your comfort zone because we are praying
for each other and trusting each other,” the
junior says.
The Rev. Dennis Thum, campus pastor,
agrees. “When you try to program things such
as Chapel and other events on campus, there
is always an educational objective,” Thum
says, “but when students get together, it’s a
combination of friendship and celebration
that adds a wonderful enthusiasm to it.”
Chris Nichols, a junior business
administration major from Helena, Mont.,
says of Prayer Group: “I started going because
I was invited by a friend and it was student
Faculty accolades
Kevin Cole, associate
professor of English,
published several poems
in literary journals, four
book reviews for Choice
Magazine, wrote
Choice Magazine’s
annual bibliographic
essay (on disability studies) and continues to
work for the Higher Learning Commission as
a member of the national peer review corps.
Carol Flower, instructor of music, had
piano music major Katie DeSchepper from
Sioux Falls place second in the collegiate
division at the South Dakota Music Teachers
Association State Competition.
Martha Helland,
assistant professor
of business, led the
founding of USF’s
chapter of the National
Society of Leadership
and Success - Alpha
Sigma Pi. The group’s
mission is to “…build leaders who make
a better world” through a leader speaker
series and Success Networking Teams. USF’s
chapter has 100 members and 65 met the
requirements for lifetime membership.
Gretchen Hoffman,
assistant professor of
psychology, along with
Dr. Dale Pietrzak from
the University of South
Dakota, had the article
Nonclinical Correlates
of the MMPI-2
Supplementary Scales using the Adjective
Check List published in The International
Journal of Educational and Psychological
Assessment.
An unexpected moment of prayer among unsuspecting friends sparked the idea to form Prayer Group, an on-campus,
student-led ministry to share the Gospel with other students, faculty and non-USFers.
led. I kept going because of the community. It
was a really easy pattern to get into; everyone
was so open and loving. It’s really enriching.”
Sophomore nursing student Tyler Spilde
from Watertown, S.D., points out how Prayer
Group fits in to the frenetic life of college
students: “It has been a sweet ministry for me
because it gives me an opportunity to slow
down through the week and hear the Gospel
of Jesus Christ proclaimed.”
During the school year, students gather
Cheri Kovalenko,
assistant professor of
family and pediatric
nursing, finished her
Post-Masters Doctor of
Nursing Practice degree
from the University of
Minnesota. She also
presented Evaluating the Implementation
of a Nitrous Oxide Protocol at Avera
Children’s Hospital at The Sister Patricia
Miller Nursing Research in Action Seminar
at Briar Cliff University.
Joy Lind, assistant
professor of
mathematics, launched
the Careers in
Mathematics speaker
series as a primary
component of a
National Science Foundation grant. She also
had three papers accepted for publication in
Bulletin of the Institute of Combinatorics
and Its Applications and presented at
several conferences.
Beth O’Toole,
associate professor
of social science and
criminal justice, is a
Fulbright Specialist.
She, along with five
students, facilitated
a panel presentation on issues with the
modern U.S. death penalty in New York City
at the Academy of Criminal Justice Science
annual meeting.
Arlys Peterson,
associate professor
of education, aided
The Fredrikson
School of Education in
certifying the school
as a NASA Professional
Development Alliance Site. She also trained
staff at Avera McKennan Hospital & University
Health Center to use online collaboration
tools, and she presented at the South Dakota
Education Technology Conference.
every Thursday at 9 p.m. The evening begins
with food and fellowship, followed by a
speaker or small-group discussion and then
closes with prayer.
The group puts emphasis on 1 Corinthians
2:2: “For I determined not to know anything
among you, save Jesus Christ, and him
crucified.”
Hull says, “We don’t care where people
come from. We just want to love and proclaim
Jesus to them, and we do that through
Dennis Roark, associate professor
of computer science and mathematics,
presented Does Quantum Physics Require
the Mind of God? as part of the USF Forum
on Conversations in Theology and Science.
Gerry Schlenker,
associate professor
of media studies, was
recently re-appointed
by Governor Dennis
Daugaard to the South
Dakota Educational
Telecommunications
Board.
testimonies, fellowship and the intentionality
of our leadership. If that’s not there, it’s
pointless.”
The initiative pleases Thum. “It is significant
when you get that student ownership. The
best thing about it is students reaching out to
other students.”
The peer mentoring underpins the group’s
success from year to year. Regular attendees
invite others to meetings, especially at the
beginning of the year when freshman are
searching for new peer connections.
Olsen has reached out to others to bring
them to meetings, including her Wal-Mart coworkers.
“You realize that none of us has it all
together. I should invite everyone because
everyone needs this in their lives,” she says.
Dennis Roark, associate professor of
computer science and mathematics, remarks
on the thriving discipleship.
“Prayer Group has been more of an
encouragement to the spiritual growth on
campus than anything I’ve seen in 20 years,”
he says. “This is a community of students
not afraid to come together for spiritual
purposes.”
And students direct these words to alumni:
“Prayer Group came about because of the
greater environment that exists at USF. It is a
very loving, accepting community,” Nichols
says.
Olsen adds, “It is so evident how God is
in control of it because it’s like nothing you
could have imagined. God cares so much for
our campus and our students.”
Bruce Watley, assistant
professor of business
administration, had
his article, Divine
Empowerment: An
Intertexture Analysis
of Acts 2, published in
Emerging Leadership
Journeys.
Faculty awards honor professors
for exceptional teaching
At the Spirit of Excellence awards banquet on May 20, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice Mike Thompson,
Assistant Professor of Family and Pediatric Nursing Cheri Kovalenko and Lorri Halverson, part-time instructor in
the Vucurevich School of Business, were named outstanding faculty for 2011-12.