Andrews Joins Adventist Church in its Ongoing Study of LGBT Issues & Lives
This month Andrews University will take the opportunity, in a variety of settings, to reflect on and seek to better understand the issues surrounding the lives of LGBT individuals within our University community, within the church and throughout the world at large.
Recently, this conversation and search for understanding within our Seventh-day Adventist Church community centered on a March 2014 summit in Cape Town, South Africa, coordinated by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
As Andrews University reflects on the Cape Town summit on LGBT issues, and the University's own participation in and exploration of these issues in this variety of settings, President Niels-Erik Andreasen says, “In each of these significant conversations about these critical issues, and in those that will continue, throughout the world, our Church and this campus, it’s important that we seek to offer compassion and support for all members of our community. That process best begins with listening and understanding each other. I invite you to become a meaningful participant in this journey.”
The Cape Town summit, “In God’s Image: Scripture. Sexuality. Society.,” was attended by nearly 350 pastors, educators, behavioral scientists, theologians, church leaders and others. Among those attendees were five Andrews University representatives: Nicholas Miller, Roy Gane, Miroslav Kiš and Peter Swanson from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, and Steve Yeagley from the Division of Student Life.
In the context of this now global conversation, it’s important that Andrews University, as the flagship university of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and especially as a community of faith and learning, also takes the opportunity for reflection that is marked by study, prayer, and direct and honest communication.
That has already begun in a variety of ways, and with a common understanding that these are each opportunities for information, bridge building, caring and support—all within the context of Andrews University’s support for the Seventh-day Adventist Church and its standards.
A short while ago, Nicholas Miller, one of the presenters at that Cape Town Summit, gave a report on the issues and discussions at Pioneer Memorial Church Sabbath School.
The discussion continued with the April 9 Student Movement, where our students, along with some faculty and staff, wrote articles and editorials that seek to better understand those with an LGBT orientation and the need for caring and support.
Finally, on the last two Saturdays of the month, there will be two public meetings that will explore LGBT issues in the context of the Seventh-day Adventist church and its standards, and in the context of the lives of those who face these issues.
First, on Saturday, April 19, our Student Life team is coordinating an event, facilitated by two of our faculty, which welcomes our students and community into a supportive environment where LGBT students can share their stories.
Then, on Saturday, April 26, all five of the Andrews representatives who attended the Cape Town summit will offer a panel presentation to discuss its impact on our church and the Andrews University community.
Details of those two presentations can be found below.
"A Conversation With LGBT Students"
April 19, 4 p.m., Newbold Auditorium, Buller Hall
Sponsored by the Division of Student Life
A facilitated Andrews University conversation with LGBT students that is focused on bridge building, listening, understanding and caring in a context that affirms the Church and its standards. Curtis VanderWaal, chair and professor of social work at Andrews University, and Nancy Carbonell, associate professor, Graduate Psychology & Counseling, will moderate this afternoon program.
It’s important to note that while this is not an event about advocacy or proposed changes to our church’s policy, it is one that is designed to be a supportive environment where Andrews University LGBT students can honestly and safely share their stories. Those of us who are not LGBT will have an opportunity to listen and learn from these students about their journeys.
“In God’s Image: Scripture. Sexuality. Society.”
Reflections from the Cape Town Summit
April 26, 5 p.m., Newbold Auditorium, Buller Hall
Sponsored by the Division of Student Life
This panel discussion will feature Nicholas Miller, Peter Swanson, Miroslav Kiš, Roy Gane and Steve Yeagley, who participated and/or presented at the Adventist Church’s summit on LGBT issues in Cape Town, South Africa.
This panel discussion and presentation will review the studies, discussion and stories that were a part of that March 2014 summit, while also sharing and reflecting on the summit’s impact on our church and our own Andrews University community.
Category: Campus News
April 19, 4 p.m.
Newbold Auditorium, Buller Hall
Sponsored by Division of Student Life
A facilitated Andrews University conversation with LGBT students that is focused on bridge building, listening, understanding and caring in a context that affirms the Church and its standards. Curtis VanderWaal, chair and professor of social work at Andrews University, and Nancy Carbonell, associate professor, Graduate Psychology & Counseling, will moderate this afternoon program.
It’s important to note that while this is not an event about advocacy or proposed changes to our church’s policy, it is one that is designed to be a supportive environment where Andrews University LGBT students can honestly and safely share their stories. Those of us who are not LGBT will have an opportunity to listen and learn from these students about their journeys.
For further information, please visit http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/2014/04/15/presentations-on-lgbt-issues.
Category: Campus Announcements| 07:00 PM | The Passion According to Matthew |
| 04:00 PM | A Conversation with LGBT Students |
| 11:45 AM | Pioneer @ Worship - Two |
| 10:30 AM | Pioneer Memorial Church Sabbath School |
| 09:00 AM | Pioneer Memorial Church First Service |
| 07:00 PM | The Passion According to Matthew |
The next New Employee Orientation is scheduled for Thursday, May 1st, 10:00am-3:00pm. New full-time (or part-time with benefits) employees need to RSVP to training@andrews.edu, and include the employee's name, ID#, email address, and department where they work.
training@andrews.edu Guitarists Jose Torres and Darrin Thurber, Seminary students, will be sharing original compositions. Their music is born from the everyday joys and struggles of life expressed through the imagery of the yearly season. Hope to see you there.
Village Church Worship Services, Sabbath, April 19, 2014
First Worship: 8:30 a.m.
Second Worship: 11:20 a.m.
Sermon Title - "Eternal Ebenezer"
Preacher - Pastor Ron Kell
Place - Village SDA Church
635 Sta Joseph Ave, Berrien Springs, MI 49103
Phone # 471-7795
Contact Person - Elizabeth Tan
The All Nations SDA Church is Celebrating its 35th Year Anniversary,
"Rebuilding Together; Moving Forward"
All Nations SDA Church Service, April 19, 2014
Speaker: R. Clifford Jones
Sermon Title: "The Dream Still Lives"
Niles Westside Adventist Church
1105 Grant St (at Fairview Ave)
Niles, MI
www.nileswestside.org
Sabbath School: 9:30 a.m.
Church Services: 8:30 & 11 a.m.
April 19: Dr Joseph Kidder, Speaker - "Triumphant: The Story of Agony and Glory"
- Special music by Niles Westside's adult choir and children's choir
DOCTORAL DEFENSE: Monday, April 21, 2014 from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. in Board Room, Room #307, in the Administrative Building. Esteban Quiyono will defend his dissertation in partial fulfillment for the PhD degree in Religious Education. Esteban Quiyono’s dissertation title is, “Relationship Between Involvement in Institutional Activities and Christian Life Commitment Among Undergraduate Students of a Christian University in Mexico.” Those wishing to attend must make their request through Anna Piskozub, by calling 471-3109.
“Disciples of Doubt, Disciples of Discretion: Discerning End-Time Deception”
Speaker: Nicolas Miller
Friday, April 18 at 7:30 pm Biology Amphitheater
Co-curricular credit available
Andrews University is dedicated to providing excellent service to all the individuals that interact on its campus, whether that be students, parents, venders, faculty and staff. Advanced Connections was developed with the intent of improving the service to internal and external customers of an educational institution, and Andrews University is proud to offer this professional development opportunity to its faculty and staff.
We will be offering the one-day Advanced Connections Training during the month of May on two separate dates:
If you are interested in participating, please send an email to RSVP at training@andrews.edu and specify which training date you are registering for. When sending in an RSVP, please include your full name, ID#, email address, and your department of employment.
The Department of English is bidding adieu to Dr. Jeanette Bryson as she takes up her new position at Washington Adventist University.
Come help us thank her for her service and wish her all the best.
The reception will be held in the Department of English, Nethery Hall, Tuesday, April 22, 2014, from noon to 1:30 pm.
PLEASE NOTE: The invitations sent via campus mail mistakenly announced the day as Monday, not Tuesday.
meredith@andrews.edu by Becky St. Clair
On April 18 and 19 at 7 p.m., the Andrews University Department of Music presents a special Easter production, “The Passion According to Matthew” in the Howard Performing Arts Center. The event is free and open to the public, with donations welcome to assist in deferring costs of the production.
This musical play set to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach tells the story of the death and resurrection of Christ, straight from the Gospel of Matthew.
“The story portrayed is essentially verbatim from the Bible,” explains Charles Reid, associate professor of voice and producer of the performance. He also explains that intermingled with the story are lots of meditation points; opportunities to dwell on the story in a personal way before moving on.
“The idea of ‘stations of the cross’ is common in many other denominations, where participants take time to really think about different parts of the story of Christ’s death and resurrection and what they mean,” says Reid. “This is what the Andrews University annual Passion Play has strived to create as well. You get not only into what happens to Jesus, but how everything relates to the other characters in the story. It’s truly eye-opening.”
Reid explains that the biggest character in the production is the University Singers, as they really do the storytelling alongside the narrator, also called the evangelist. David Ortiz, sophomore music major, will play the role of evangelist. Deneile Clark, a student in the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary on the campus of Andrews University, plays the role of Jesus.
Something Reid and his cast and crew paid special attention to was allowing the audience to connect with the characters and, as a result, the story.
“We’re taking a lot of care to make the text into modern English so the audience doesn’t have to translate from King James English,” he says. “Instead of looking at the story of something that happened over 2,000 years ago, we’re looking at a story that’s relevant for now and we want everyone to look at it like it’s their story.”
“The Passion According to Matthew” is a completely student-run production. While Reid has served as director and producer, the costuming, lighting, staging and all other details have been student-led.
“I’m really excited about this project,” says Reid. “Wherever possible we’re using students. This is the purpose of a university environment—to give the students these opportunities for growth.”
A joint venture between the vocal/choral and symphonic areas, “The Passion” is a major department production involving many areas. After last year’s successful production of Mendelssohn’s “Elijah,” the department was encouraged to do another large performance involving multiple ensembles and soloists. Stephen Zork, associate professor of music for choir and voice, is conducting the choir, while Claudio Gonzalez, associate professor of music for orchestra and strings, is managing the instrumental aspect for the production.
Reid was inspired by “The Passion” early in his career when he was in the choir at Brooklyn Academy of Music. Director Jonathan Miller chose to perform this piece in a unique way, similar to how Reid is doing it this time.
“Out of the hundreds of performances I’ve done over the years, that set of performances remains an emotional high point,” Reid recalls. “I’ve never seen audiences so impacted in random ways. People realized things they weren’t used to noticing and were open to the story in a fresh way. That’s what I hope to accomplish here as well.”
Reid continues, “When you look at this story, little by little you see Jesus was very emotional. He actually got angry, afraid, frustrated, even angsty. Not things we usually associate with Jesus. So a piece like this, done how we’re doing it in a more contemporary setting, can have a strong impact on anyone, Christian or not.”
By Eloise Ravell
Lynda Lee, Andrews University undergraduate student studying visual arts and chemistry, was recently accepted into the Michigan Emerging Graduate Artist (MEGA) Juried Exhibition hosted by the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Collective of Kendall College of Art and Design at the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts in Grand Rapids for two of her oil paintings completed this year. Lee was also one of three recipients of the Juror’s Choice award.
The exhibition showcases 21 regional artists who will display their work in media such as drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture and mixed media. It also allows newly working artists to expand their professional network in their field of interest.
The MEGA exhibition allows Lee and other artists to be officially introduced to the artist community and connect with professionals in the region. Networking is vital in an art career and is a means of building relationships with fellow artists and potential customers. It also is a way of obtaining information about gallery showings and creating a following of supporters.
“As a student, Lynda works incredibly hard and has pushed herself during the past two years that I have had her as a student,” says Kari Friestad, assistant professor of painting and drawing, whose work is also featured in the exhibition. “By participating in this state-wide show and being selected as a Juror’s choice from among BFA and MFA candidates, it has shown that Lynda’s work is at a high level of creative accomplishment.”
Lee, who plans to travel to South Korea upon graduation to teach English and give Bible studies, plans to attend Loma Linda University this coming fall to study dentistry. She is currently in her fifth and final year at Andrews. Lee submitted two paintings that she had been working on for her Honors Thesis Project, a yearlong project that seniors in the J.N. Andrews Honors Program must complete as part of their Honors requirements.
“The two paintings that I submitted for the exhibition are part of a series of male portraits that attempt to explore the concept of connection and disconnection between the self and other identities,” explains Lee. “I am working with the idea that our identity is the result of being both separate and related to the other, which requires some degree of openness and vulnerability. Being vulnerable can often be a challenge and has always been and still is a personal struggle for me. I wanted there to be a lack of intimacy and tried to portray the individuals in my paintings as being withdrawn and introverted by averting their gazes as well as giving them a more contemplative and meditative mood.”
Lee was inspired by Dutch-born sculptor Hanneke Beaumont who creates pieces in which human figures seem to be neither male nor female in appearance and neither young nor old. The ambiguous nature of Beaumont’s figures represents universal ideas of how people relate to each other. The sculptor also works with the idea of separation and often creates groups of figures that are close enough to interact with each other, yet remain separate and withdrawn.
“I tried watercolor and a bit of acrylic painting in some of my art classes in high school, but I didn’t start working with oil paint until I took an intro painting class here at Andrews,” says Lee.
Her time at Andrews has enriched her experience as a painter and the MEGA exhibition has helped her become more confident in her artistic abilities.
“Andrews is not a large school, and there are only a handful of fine art students,” says Lee. “But I want to believe that this exhibition shows that if you’re focused, motivated and diligent in your work, you will get better at what you’re doing and be acknowledged.”
Lee feels blessed to have been featured in the exhibition and is grateful to be introduced into the artist community.
“Lynda is seriously committed to her work and a very gifted artist,” says Friestad. “It has been a wonderful experience having her as a student. I am excited to see what other opportunities might come her way as a result of her hard work.”
The monthly meeting of the Berrien Springs Camera Club will be on Wednesday, May 7, at 7 p.m. in the Berrien Springs Public Library at Cass (Old 31) and Union. May is the month for the final competition of the year, when prints and digital submissions that were judged acceptable or honored in competition during the current season will be reviewed again by three judges, who will select the top five projected images and prints, in the categories of Nature and Open (everything else).
The club’s season runs from September to June, with four competitions each year. Besides two special topics for each competition, three other categories are always acceptable: Nature, Portraits, and Open. The special topics for this season were as follows: for October: Action, and Cracks and Crevices; for December: Graffiti/Street Art, and Mist/Fog; for February: Patterns, and Shadows: and for April: The Sky and Things in It, and Grates, Vents, and Manhole Covers.
Anyone is welcome to come and enjoy viewing the images, seeing how the club operates, and learning from the judging process. Refreshments will be served. One can also read more about the club and its activities at http://berrienspringscameraclub.blogspot.com.
“In God’s Image: Scripture. Sexuality. Society.”
Reflections from the Cape Town Summit
April 26, 5 p.m., Newbold Auditorium, Buller Hall
Sponsored by the Division of Student Life
This panel discussion will feature Nicholas Miller, Peter Swanson, Miroslav Kiš, Roy Gane and Steve Yeagley, who participated and/or presented at the Adventist Church’s summit on LGBT issues in Cape Town, South Africa.
This panel discussion and presentation will review the studies, discussion and stories that were a part of that March 2014 summit, while also sharing and reflecting on the summit’s impact on our church and our own Andrews University community.
For further information, please visit http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/2014/04/15/presentations-on-lgbt-issues.
Andrews University, in partnership with Green Earth Electronics Recycling, will hold its biannual electronics recycling event on Wednesday, April 23, from 3–7 p.m. Community members, businesses and residents from surrounding communities are encouraged to recycle their unwanted electronic items at the Andrews University Transportation building.
Accepted items include computers, laptops, smart phones, monitors, TVs, telephones, cameras, DVD players, cords/cables, printers, toner cartridges, cell phones, refrigerators, air conditioners, appliances and any other electronic items or items with a cord. A hazardous waste fee will be collected for CRT monitors ($5) and tube TVs ($10). All other items are recycled free of charge. All hard drives are wiped to Department of Defense specifications or shredded.
All businesses are encouraged to preregister by emailing pickup@greenearth1.com or calling 269-326-1232.
Green Earth Electronics Recycling, headquartered in St. Joseph, Mich., is a company whose focus is to keep unwanted electronics out of the landfill by using the best practices in information destruction and recycling. They are registered as a recycler with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Their services include corporate and institutional pickups as well as community drop-off events. For more information please visit www.GreenEarth1.com or email pickup@GreenEarth1.com.
by Becky St. Clair and Chandler Jordana
Felipe Tan, senior cataloger at the Andrews University James White Library, visited Middle East University in Beirut, Lebanon, earlier in March to host a workshop for the personnel of the George Arthur Keough Library. “The overall goal was to help the MEU personnel re-catalog the growing collection of Islamic, Arabic and theology collections of the library,” explains Tan. “I provided them with the know-how and tools to accomplish this task.”
The Dewey Decimal Classification is a commonly used scheme that, according to Larry Lichtenwalter, dean of the faculty of philosophy and theology at MEU, “scatters books under broad headings.” The Library of Congress Classification, however, has been designed for academic and research collections in specialized disciplines. It is used by most academic libraries in the United States and in several other countries. Lichtenwalter hinted at his own partiality towards the newly implemented system, emphasizing that it will make all of the holdings within his department easier to find.
Tan carefully initiated the re-cataloging process at the MEU Library. According to Lichtenwalter, he wanted Tan to reorganize the library collection to foster a more effective research environment for graduate and undergraduate students in anticipation of more cooperative programs with Andrews.
“Because of our close collaboration with Andrews University, especially in the School of Theology, it was advised that we transform our collection,” asserted Farid Khoury, head librarian, who also noted that the Library of Congress Classification is used by most American academic libraries. “Therefore,” continued Khoury, “in our last academic resource committee, we made the decision to start this process with the collection of the Faculty of Philosophy and Theology and the Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies.”
Khoury additionally emphasized that this transition will serve as a “pilot step after which the overall process will be revisited and evaluated” and that the entire library would not be converted until the staff had experienced and evaluated the changes brought about by the switch firsthand.
“A decision will later be made as to whether we will use both the Dewey Decimal System and the LC Classification System for our library or if everything will be transformed into the latter scheme.”
Lyndi Khalil, assistant librarian, also participated in the workshop.
“Felipe was very professional and knowledgeable and helped us to consider things we didn’t realize needed to be considered,” says Khalil. “He would love to come back and visit our library and told us that he’s always available for email consultation should any future dilemmas occur.”
MEU is constantly seeking for innovative ways in which their facilities and infrastructure can be positively altered, however, the re-cataloging of the library archives of an entire faculty is exceptionally noteworthy because it would make MEU’s George Arthur Keough Library the first academic library in Lebanon to utilize the precise Library of Congress Classification System.
“I found the MEU library personnel intelligent and eager to learn,” says Tan. “I enjoyed the exposure to the culture of the Middle East and learned a lot from mingling with the people. The Lebanese are friendly, approachable and eager to learn and move forward. I was glad for the opportunity to help Middle East University.”
Plan for retirement, challenge your concerns, and take control of your future!
Ameriprise Financial invites you to join us for a special seminar, on Wednesday, April 16, from 12:00-1:00 in room 306 of the Administration Building. This seminar will be hosted and presented by Kim D Wooden, CPA, MBA.
During this complimentary seminar, you’ll learn about:
• How to make your retirement dreams and goals more within reach.
• Determining how much you need to save and ways to do so.
• Ways to generate dependable income.
Please plan to attend the following seminar. This is an informational seminar. There is no cost or obligation.
A Senior Thesis Photography Exhibition on the effects of Poaching by Nina Marie Rambo
Tuesday April 22, 6-8 p.m.
Art & Design Gallery, Smith Hall
Andrews University, Berrien Springs, MI
Refreshments provided and great work presented.
Free event. Co-corricular credit offered.
Come support the animals and see the project that was eight months in the making.
Photographer's past work here: www.ninamariephotography.com
Dr. Kasischke of Loma Linda University School of Dentistry will be on campus Monday - Wednesday, April 21 - April 23. To schedule a half-hour consultation with Dr. Kasischke to discuss your dental school options, please come to the Chemistry Office (Halenz Hall 225) or to the Biology Office (Price Hall 216).
Tuesday, April 15
8 a.m.–10 p.m.
Patron Services
James White Library
In Celebration of National Library Week, the James White Library will waive overdue fines accrued from April 1–15 for a donation of a non-expired, nonperishable unopened food item. One item will be accepted for every $5 or less in fines. Food for fines donations will not be allowed for lost or damaged materials. Donated food will go to support Andrews University students in need.
by Becky St. Clair
“Every year we survey the residence hall women about their experience in the dorm throughout the year,” explains Jennifer Burrill, dean of women in Lamson Hall. “The results help shape what we do the following year. We’re always trying to improve on the year before.”
Two key factors in recent surveys have been residents interested in more of a feeling of friendship and community between them, and the cleanliness (or perceived lack thereof) in the community bathrooms.
“We came up with the idea for Lamson ‘Lympics in an attempt to hold the women accountable for their own living space and health, and to get them to focus on them long enough to make them a habit,” says Burrill.
The ‘Lympics had four categories: Care for This Place (keeping community areas, specifically the bathrooms, clean), Care for Myself (earning punches in their exercise cards), Care for My Community (nominating others for a Second Mile Card when doing something good for others), and Serve the World (participating in their hall’s community service project for the semester).
“The participation in our first ever ‘Lympics was pretty decent,” says Burrill. “When you start something new it’s always a toss-up whether or not it will catch on, but the women were interested and we were happy with the participation level.”
This is not the only self-improvement program Lamson Hall deans have instituted; every fall semester they run Catch a Wise Woman, where residents are encouraged to study out in the open. When caught studying in a public space, they are awarded a ticket, which is redeemable for items of varying value at the conclusion of the six-week period over which the program is run.
“It’s a very popular program,” says Burrill. “The women are purposeful about studying where others can see them and they love being able to redeem the tickets for hats, scarves, décor for their dorm rooms, etc.”
The winners of the Lamson ‘Lympics were announced over the loudspeaker during open house. First place went to 2NE, second place to 3NW and third place to 2SW. An additional award was added when the deans realized one individual had exercised every day of the event. That young woman was given a one-hour massage.
“We have ideas for the future to combine some of our several wellness initiatives,” says Burrill, “but our main goal is to encourage the students to focus on holistic healthy living.”
We have already been recruiting for Summer 2014 GROW Group Leaders. Have you been thinking about this? If so, the Holy Spirit may be your prompter! Registration for summer goes for a week, until April 22nd. Invite a friend to share this discipleship adventure with you.
Please go to pmchurch.org/newgrowgroup to register your group. Summer groups run from approximately June 1 to August 1. What a great way to gather a few folks together who share your interest in a particular topic, and then dig into that and pray together. We hope you will join in!
Questions? Call Carolyn Strzyzykowski at 269-519-2801 or email carolynstr@comcast.net.
Girls on the Run
a 5k event
When: May 22nd, 2014
Time: Check-in 4-6:00 pm, Race begins at 6:30 pm
Where: Berrien County Youth Fairgrounds
Fee: Registration by Mid May $20, Late registration $25, Family Pack (Immediate family) $40
Questions? Email rachel.buthorne@uwsm.org
The All Nations Church is hosting an evangelistic outreach series entitled
" Jesus Is Coming Again. So What?"
The event will be led out by Pastors Lerisnel St. Fleur and Marvin Gittens. ALL are invited to attend. Free Childcare and Refreshments are provided. Prizes will also be awarded.
Time: 7:00-8:00 pm, April 4-18.
Meetings are on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday & Wednesday.
Venue: All Nations Church. 4259 E. Snow Road, Berrien Springs, MI 49103.
Contact Phone #: 269-473-4400
James White Library Extended Hours and Intersession Hours:
JWL extended hours begin Sunday, April 20 and are as follows:
Sunday April 20 and 27: 1-11:30 pm
Monday-Thursday, April 21-24: 8 am-11:30 pm
Friday: April 25 and May 2: 8 am-3 pm
Monday--Wed. April 28-30: 8 am-11:30 pm
Thurs: May 1: 8am-10:30 pm
Sunday, May 4: Closed to all patrons for graduation
Intersession hours begin Monday, May 5 at 10 am
Hours are: Mon-Thurs, May 5-8: 10 am- 7 pm, Friday, May 9: 10 am-1 pm
Regular hours resume Sunday, May 11 at 1 pm.
by Becky St. Clair
Earlier this year, Afia Asamoah, junior music and political science major and honors student, sent an audition recording to Southwest Michigan College, hoping to be accepted into an upcoming masterclass with Jason Robert Brown.
“I have been a huge fan of Jason Robert Brown since high school,” says Asamoah, “and my favorite of his musicals is ‘The Last Five Years’ and I love his ‘Songs for a New World’ song cycle.”
Brown, a prolific musical theater composer, lyricist and playwright, has won several awards and had his work produced hundreds of times around the world.
When Asamoah received word that she had been accepted and would be participating in the masterclass with Brown, she was thrilled.
“I literally screamed into a pillow and danced around my room,” she admits. “I was so excited and honored to be given the opportunity to perform for and learn from someone I admire.”
For a voice masterclass such as this one, Asamoah would stand on stage, introduce herself and the song she would be singing, and then perform. Following the performance, the expert critiques the singer.
“Basically they take apart the song to improve your overall performance,” she says. “The purpose is to help the student grow in their performance style and have the opportunity to perform in front of peers and experts.”
On March 20, Asamoah sang for a crowd of about 200 people while Brown stood in the back and observed. She chose to perform “Gimme Gimme” from Thoroughly Modern Millie by Jeanine Tesori.
When she finished the song, Brown came up on stage and, asking the accompanist to step aside, started playing, transposing the song into various different keys to play with Asamoah’s sound.
“He refined my performance in a few notable ways,” she says. “First, he helped me to internalize my character and properly convey the feeling and emotions. Secondly, he got me to open up my voice more in the ‘belter’ range which was a fun learning experience.”
Asamoah said Brown paid her many compliments, but “fantastic” and “gorgeous instrument” were some that stuck out the most, and were part of what made the whole experience unforgettable.
“I’m grateful to have talented, learned professors who are still compassionate and humble enough to work with me on an individual level and encourage me to succeed,” she says.
Though she doesn’t know for sure what she wants to do with her life, Asamoah has many high hopes for her future.
“I have many dreams,” she says, “but I just put everything in God’s hands and trust Him to work out everything for the best.”
By Becky St. Clair and Eloise Ravell
On April 9-13, 2014, Andrews University held its third annual Summit for Social Consciousness with the theme, “The Poor Next Door: Poverty in America.” Its objective was to inform the community of this chronic problem in our nation and to provide a means for students and community leaders to engage in social action. The symposium was designed to bring awareness and public education to the subject through the knowledge of different speakers and the opportunity to serve the community hands on.
Wednesday, April 9, the summit kicked off with Rachel Wade from United Way of Southwest Michigan who engaged attendees in a discussion on relevant facts regarding poverty in the country. In addition to the presentation, the audience had the opportunity to participate in a poverty simulation activity. Thursday, there was a documentary screening of “Inequality for All,” a film featuring former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich and directed by Jacob Kornbluth.
Friday, the University Vespers at Pioneer Memorial Church welcomed guest speakers Bonnie Bazata and Taurus Montogomery. Bazata spoke about the concept of “false generosity,” a form of giving without making any sort of sacrifice and how we need to break out of this un-Christ like pattern.
Saturday morning, the Howard Performing Arts Center held a church service featuring keynote speaker Timothy Nixon. Afterwards, breakout sessions were held in the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary. Guest speakers included Peter Lombardo, director of community involvement at the South Bend Center for the Homeless and professor emeritus at the University of Notre Dame and Joel Raveloharimisy, director of Community & International Development Program at Andrews, among others.
“I have a passion to serve the under-served,” says Lucie Randall, director of Neighbor to Neighbor during her presentation entitled “Price of Poverty.”
Neighbor to Neighbor’s mission is to follow Christ’s example by taking care of the poor and helpless. The organization has a total of 3,242 volunteers in the Michigan Conference of Seventh-day Adventists who contribute to more than 66,000 hours of service for the poor each year. In 2012, employment was at 9 percent in Berrien County and 34 perfect of the children in Michigan lived in families in which the parents were not employed. Neighbor to Neighbor seeks to help these families and provide resources for them.
“Poverty costs somebody somewhere something,” says Randall. “The best resources God has given us are not being utilized.”
Love fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables? This summer you can have fresh produce delivered to your door for 18 weeks, courtesy of Andrews University Student Gardens. The program begins early-June and continues through mid-October.
Each basket includes at least six types of fresh produce, such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, broccoli, corn, kale, carrots and cucumbers. In addition to the classic vegetables, this year AUGardens will have the options to add fresh flowers and fruit to your baskets.
Delivery is free within a 20-mile radius of the campus, but those who prefer can pick up their share on Friday mornings from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. at the local farm stand, which will be located at the Neighbor-to Neighbor parking lot at 9147 Hwy M-139 in Berrien Springs, Mich.
Andrews student gardens are designed to give students practical gardening experience, provide income, offer student employment, support farming, and provide the community with the opportunity to receive fresh produce that will aid a healthy lifestyle. The gardens include three acres of Gala apples, four acres of peaches, 2,500 feet of raspberries, 1,000 feet of blackberries, three greenhouses, and ten acres of vegetable production. The produce delivery program and the farm stand are part of the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program. Currently, the program is working to receive organic certification. Weekly newsletters accompany the baskets with fresh recipes and helpful information.
For more information, call 269-471-6006 or email info@augardens.com.
TO SIGN UP TODAY CLICK HERE!
You are cordially invited to come and worship together at the Village SDA Church, Sabbath April 12, 2014, 7:00-8:15 pm, for the 7th Annual Preaching Marathon of the class RELB335 Acts & Epistles – Dr. Rubén Muñoz-Larrondo.
The following students will preach on the Epistle to the Romans.
Angellakis, Alexander A
Comeau, Ryan R
Davisson, Richard A
Day, Seth M
Eugene, Nephtalie N
Flores, Josias A
Gomez, Omar D
Jardine, Kalissa H
Murnighan, Russell C
Nase, Kyle W
Nommik, Aldar
Serna, Enrique
Wallace, Joel S
This month's forum will revolve around "The Secret to Leadership." Duane Covrig will be giving an interactive presentation on the secret to leading in today's world.
Date: Saturday, April 12, 2014
Location: Newbold Auditorium, Buller Hall
Time: 5 p.m.
"The Poor Next Door: Poverty in America" is the theme of Andrews University's third annual Summit for Social Consciousness today through Sunday. The symposium will inform the community and provide a means for students and area leaders to engage in social action.
<<< Read the full story >>>
There is a Place for You
Laura Whidden has just released her first professional music video of her song "Table for One." Laura and Campus Ministries would like to invite you to come and share live music, community, and refreshments a the live premiere of this music video. The message of Laura's music is to let everyone know that there is a place for you, there is a place at the table for everyone, and no one is alone. So on the last day classes come and share hope with us and the Andrews University community. Thursday April 24th 8-10pm in the Lobby of the Howard Performing Arts Center we will share Table for One in a live venue for the first time. Join Laura Whidden, Alison Brook, Eryca Nelson, Bucktown Ramblers, Matthew Master, and other local musicians in sharing hope together.
Come be blessed by the music ministry of Christian singer School Michael Bennett at a Sabbath vespers concert on April 19, 2014, at 7:30 pm at the Michiana Fil-Am Church, 8454 Kephart Lane, Berrien Springs.
Cost:
$30 per plot. Rules apply.
$20 per plot for AU students.
Size: 30 sq. ft.
Please bring your valid AU ID.
No early sign in accepted.
If you are unable to come and reserve your plot, you may come to the Agriculture office after April 28 from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Monday-Friday.
For questions, contact us at X 6006.
Visit our website at: http://augardens.com/about-us/garden-plots/
Tomorrow, Friday, April 11, is the annual Gymnics show for local elementary school children. Which means parking near Johnson Gymnasium will be limited.
Campus Safety is planning to block off about half of the gym parking lot to make it possible for the vehicles — busses and cars— to drop off over 1000 school kids to watch this much-anticipated performance. There are also two school groups walking to the performance, so please be extra attentive to the pedestrian traffic in that part of campus tomorrow morning.
We acknowledge this is an inconvenience to add to your already-busy Friday schedules. Thank you for graciously making this adjustment this one time each year to support our team and local school children.
With the weather warming up more people are taking to walking, jogging, bicycling, rollerblading, and more in the great outdoors. We recommend you exercise extra caution while traveling on and around Andrews campus. Whether you walk, ride a bike, drive, or use alternative methods of transportation, be aware of your surroundings and take extra care.
The Michigan Secretary of State's office has published a handy book, "What Every Driver Should Know." Here are some key tips included in the book:
When there are no sidewalks, pedestrians should walk on the side of the road facing oncoming traffic. Parents should teach their children this, but drivers must watch for pedestrians
Be alert for joggers running along roadways. Joggers should wear reflective clothing, use sidewalks or roadway shoulders, and avoid jogging at night, dawn, dusk, or during bad weather. Joggers, like other pedestrians, should be on the side of the road facing oncoming traffic.
A bicycle lane is a portion of the roadway with pavement markings and signs exclusively for bicyclists. This lane shall not be used by motorists as a driving lane or for parking.
Pages 116-117 of the book include tips for bicyclists.
The Campus Safety Handbook is available online; please contact Campus Safety with any questions.
Other Resources:
Safety for Runners, Walkers, & Bicyclists
Misc. Safety Resources
PMC Sabbath Evening Vespers
April 12, 6:30, Youth Chapel
Dr. Kutzner presents "God and Beauty in the Universe." This vespers is presented again due to popular demand. It includes amazing pictures, and a glimpse of space travel. The program will interest children, students, and older folk who are curious about God's creation. Don't miss it!
The All Nations church family is Celebrating 35 Years, Moving Forward!
Sabbath, April 19, 2013 at 9:30 AM
Celebration begins with a Parade of Nations at 9:30 AM. Come early!
The Andrews University Center for Reading, Learning, and Assessment continues its year round Fundraiser
We want to assist individuals with reading and language challenges with the tuition cost.
If you want to help, you can buy frozen eggrolls (springrolls) at the School of Education Building Bell Hall.
A box of 40 springrolls is $35. If you want to order more than 3 dozen boxes, you can call 471-3480.
By Eloise Ravell
Daniel Gonzalez-Socoloske, assistant professor of biology at Andrews University, is currently in his first year of teaching at Andrews. He specializes in tropical mammal ecology and conservation and has been studying manatees for the past ten years.
Gonzalez-Socoloske graduated from Andrews in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science in biology with a zoology emphasis. He went on to receive his master’s degree in biology from Loma Linda University and later his PhD in ecology from Duke University.
His interest is how species adapt to their environment and the effect of both natural and human-induced habitat changes on their behavior. His research focus is the behavioral ecology and plasticity of various tropical mammals and his aim is to incorporate behavioral data into sound conservation strategies that are species- and location-specific.
“I was one of those rare freshmen that went in thinking, ‘I want to do biology,’” he says. “I always wanted to pursue it more because it was something that I genuinely loved.”
Gonzalez-Socoloske first became introduced to manatee research when he began working on his master’s degree at Loma Linda.
“I was always interested in wildlife and I was always interested in mammals,” he says. “It was just a matter of honing in on a particular area.”
Manatees posed a beneficial area of study because of the lack of research that was currently focused on them. Now, Gonzalez-Socoloske’s expertise lies within manatee research and his work has contributed to the advancement of study in this area.
“I went in with a lot of preconceived ideas as to what manatees were and their behavior,” he says. “Through the years I’ve gained an awesome respect for these creatures and realized they are much more complex than I initially gave them credit for. They’re much more intelligent than people typically think.”
Not only did he have the opportunity to work with manatees in the U.S., Gonzalez-Socoloske traveled to more than five countries in Central America to further study the creatures. This summer he will be working on an island off of Cuba, which differs from the tannin-stained water of river systems with which he is used to working.
“Every location has unique challenges and you bond with the people there,” he says. “Each spot has its own charm.”
For his PhD work in feeding ecology, he did distribution studies in Honduras focusing on the behavior of manatees. On-site, he and his team were able to capture the manatees, radio-tag them and track them. The water at the site varied by almost 20 feet between the dry season and the wet season affecting the food availability of the herbivorous mammals. Although they are generalists with a wide variety of food they can eat, manatees are picky about what they consume.
With colleagues not only in Honduras and Cuba, but Mexico, Japan, Costa Rica and Panama as well, he seeks to continue his research and hopes to incorporate these studies into the classes he teaches at Andrews. One day, he hopes to bring graduate students on the trips as part of their coursework.
“Having a research program for students tremendously enriches their experience,” he says. “It opens their world to something larger than themselves, larger than their own unique goals.”
As far as his teaching career, Gonzalez-Socoloske says that his research creates a more concrete foundation to the concepts he teaches because of his real-world experience and application.
“Students can see that we are teachers, but we are biologists first,” he says. “They can see that we are a community of science and they can see what we are actually striving to do.”
One of the highlights from his research occurred in Tabasco, Mexico when he was concluding his data research for his PhD. It was the dry season when he and his team encountered an adult female separated from the other manatees, a highly unusual incident, as they are usually shy and hard to see.
After wading in the water for some time, the seven and a half foot manatee, later named Francisca, approached the team sociably and wanted to interact with them. The unique behavior of this manatee allowed the team to study her closely. Two years later, when Gonzalez-Socoloske returned to the site, Francisca was spotted in the very same area.
“When you connect the local community to an individual creature like Francisca,” he says, “it was so amazing to see the transformation of how the people began looking out for her and there was an acceptance and an accountability that was built into having this experience with this animal.”
Gonzalez-Socoloske has not only grown attached to manatees, but continues to enjoy what he does for a living.
“Research was important to me early on,” he says. “To fall in love with science. I was already in love with nature. I enjoyed tremendously working with animals and being outside. Engaging in the research really helped me to enjoy the element of discovery and pushing the frontiers of our knowledge.”
Niles Westside Adventist Church
1105 Grant St (at Fairview Ave)
Niles, MI
www.nileswestside.org
Sabbath School: 9:30 a.m.
Church Services: 8:30 & 11 a.m.
April 12: Aldar Nommik, Speaker - "Sabbath Guardians"
Village Church Worship Services, Sabbath, April 12, 2014
First Worship: 8:30 a.m.
Sermon Title - "The Good News of Bad Times"
Preacher - Wendy Baldwin
Second Worship: 11:20 a.m.
Education Sabbath
Musical: K-4th Garder -"I Am A Promised"
Everyone is welcome to attend our Andrews University Chemistry & Biochemistry Departmental Seminar Series this coming Thursday, April 10 at 4:30 p.m. As usual we meet in A-107 Halenz Hall.
Thursday's student presentation topics are:
Detection of Copper (II) Using Stilbene Fluorophores presented by: Stephen Gilbert (biochemistry senior)
and
Hydroxyl Number Determination Using NIR presented by: HwukChan Woo (biochemistry senior)
Here are the directions to the chemistry dept:
Turn in at the J. N. Andrews Blvd. entrance. Go pass the Security Gate House. Make right turn at the first intersection on to E Campus Circle Drive. Then make a left turn at the next intersection (E Campus Circle Drive). Make another left onto Administration Drive. The Science Complex is the bldg on your left. The Chemistry Dept. is on the side of the Science Complex (4270 Administration Drive) opposite the Bookstore parking lot. You can park in the bookstore parking lot or the one straight ahead. My Office # is A-127 Halenz Hall .... on the lower floor of the Science Complex.
Class Officer Nomination Forms Available
Undergraduate class officer nomination forms are now available! Either come into Student Life and pick one up or you may go to the Student Activities Page on orgsync.com and go to the Files tab. It is located there, just print, fill out and return to Student Life.
The deadline for all applications is Monday the 14th at 5pm. Elections will begin next week Tuesday.
cnelson@andrews.edu ADVENTIST FRONTIER MISSIONS is looking for a janitor and grounds keeper for the AFM office. This person will be responsible to keep the interior and exterior of the AFM office building neat and clean.
Must have experience in performing housekeeping duties with an eye for orderliness and cleanliness. Needs to be a self starter, and able to work without supervision. Must possess good organizational skills and display a spirit of helpfulness. Must maintain high levels of confidentiality. May be subject to background check. Must have an expressed commitment to Jesus Christ, the teachings and missions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and be a Seventh-day Adventist church member in regular standing.
The start date for this position is May 1, 2014. If you believe God may be calling you to serve in this capacity, please submit your résumé in writing by April 21, 2014 to Sinisa Milovanovic, Treasurer, Adventist Frontier Missions, POB 286, Berrien Springs, MI 49103, or by email to smilovanovic@afmonline.org
Maybe you pour over seed catalogs from the time the first snowflakes flies until your seeds arrive at your doorstep. Or maybe you've never experienced the joy of plucking your own first tomato from the vine. Avid chemical free gardner, or straight-out-of-the-city novice, there is something for each to learn at the Spring into Gardening Class on April 13, 4-6 p.m. in the Youth Room.
Darryl Hosford, owner of Simple Updates in town, is an organic gardener and also has his own green house. He experiments with heirloom seeds (seeds which are passed from grower to grower for generations). Sharing his love for growing. Darryl gave a similar workshop to the Fairplain Church, and also coordinates a garden club for local organic and heirloom seed enthusiasts. He sometimes invites them to his home garden for demos and training as well as meetings.
Darryl's presentation will include a little bit of everything from how to grow greens on your kitchen counter (sprouting) to organic gardening tips. The program will be about an hour-and-a-half and will be followed by a Q & A for a total of about 2 hours.
April 28, 2014, 9:30 am, DOCTORAL DEFENSE, Administration Building, Room 307 Stephane Beaulieu will defend his dissertation in partial fulfillment of the PhD degree in the area of Old Testament. Beaulieu's dissertation title is, "The Identity and Role of the Servant in Isaiah 42:1-9: an Exegetical and Theological Study". Those wishing to attend must make their request by calling #6002 no later than April 27.
Celebrate National Library Week 2014
Events Program
April 12-18 is National Library Week and James White Library has very exciting programs for you. This year’s theme is “Lives Change @ Your Library.” We have something for everyone. We have great prizes to give away so be sure to like us on Facebook and answer our daily trivia question at https://www.facebook.com/jwlandrews
Saturday April 12 in collaboration with the Andrews University Social Consciousness Summit
4:30 – 5:20 p.m. Information technology and poverty discussion in the Seminary room N150
5:30 – 6:00 p.m. Donations given to local shelters in Seminary Chapel
Monday: April 14 Refreshments Served 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. Library lobby
Tuesday April 15 Food for Fines (8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.) Patron Services
The Library will waive overdue fines accrued from April 1-15 for a donation of a non-expired, nonperishable unopened food item. One item will be accepted for every $5:00 or less in fines. Food for fines donations will not be allowed for lost or damaged materials. Donated food will go to support Andrews University students in need.
Wednesday April 16 Book Signing in the Library lobby
Dionne Robinson: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
1. Experiencing God in Everyday Ordinary Things (2013)
2. The Journey: True Stories of Miracles and Mysteries that will Transform your Life. (2014)
Olaotse Gabasiane: 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
1. African Fireside Stories Book 1 (2013)
2. African Fireside Stories Book 2 (2013)
Christon Arthur 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Thursday April 17: Live Music 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. by Grace Notes and others
Exhibits April 1-30
Poverty in America: Display Case
- Books Display 1 – 30
- Posters by 4 & 5 grade Ruth Murdoch Elementary School children taught by teacher Patty Costa
Artwork by Shawn Schwarz in the Library Gallery
Greetings Photographers!
The Office of Academic Records is making some modifications to the online bulletin for the academic year 2014-2015. We are doing some design changes and would like to include an image from a current student, staff, faculty or alumni on the bulletin home page. We are looking for photographs that emphasize art or active learning here at Andrews.
We plan to collect several images from which one will be chosen for the home page. We will add a small bio and link (just below the image) to a website to highlight the photographer.
Our deadline is Friday, April 18. Department staff will then meet and decide which image will be used. Once selected, we will contact the photographer to obtain the bio information and website link.
Please submit your images by Friday, April 18, to bulletin@andrews.edu while noting the following Image requirements:
JPG or PNG format
No larger than 5MB
Landscape orientation
Please ensure photographs are consistent with the Andrews University community.
The Andrews International Center for Educational Research (AICER) will host a research team panel discussion entitled Research Team Experiences on April 17, 2014 at 5:30 pm.
The research teams include:
Dr. H. Burnett's team (Behavioral Sciences)
Dr. L. Burton's team (Teaching, Learning & Curriculum)
Dr. S. Hansen's team (Mathematics)
Dr. J. Hayward's team (Biology)
What is it like to be part of a research team? Whether you would like to join a research team or have accrued stories of research team experiences, this panel discussion will interest you. Graduate and undergraduate research teams from different disciplines will discuss their research methodologies and how their teams function. Students will discuss why they became team members and what prepared them for their role.
Face-to-face participants meet in Buller Hall, Room 251
Online participants to login as "Guest" at https://andrews.adobeconnect.com/_a877709416/research/ or http://www.andrews.edu/sed/aicer/researchwebinars/ whether or not they are registered at Andrews University.
Tutoring Services Available!!!
ESL - grammar, conversation, writing and TOEFL prep
Elementary School-Aged Children - reading, writing, math, homework assistance
Writing Instruction and Editing
I have a BS in Elementary Education and am working towards an MA in TESOL
Flexible rates and hours (evenings are best)
Undergraduate class officer nomination forms are now available! Either come into Student Life and pick one up or you may go to the Student Activities Page on orgsync.com and go to the Files tab. It is located there, just print, fill out and return to Student Life. The deadline for all applications is Monday, April 14, at 5 p.m. Elections will begin next Tuesday.
40 Days to Embracing a Healthier Lifestyle
If you are looking for a support group to initiate or maintain your health goals
You are invited to join us on Saturday afternoons. Our next gathering is:
Date: Saturday afternoon, April 12, 2014
Place: Counseling & Testing Center, Bell Hall #123 (on the campus of Andrews University)
Time: 5–6:15 p.m.
We are still offering a few more complimentary copy of the book 40 Days to Better Living—A Seven-Step Model to Healthy Living, addressing areas of spiritual, medical, emotional, family, physical, nutrition and vocational health.
The LIFT program includes:
**Space is limited
Facilitated by Judith Fisher, psychologist, and LaKesha Morris, counselor. The group is open to students, faculty, staff & members of the community.
This health & wellness series will last six weeks, ending May 10, 2014, with weekly Saturday afternoon meetings. We strongly recommend you plan to attend all meetings!
Signing up for the group is simple: Call or send an email message with your name and contact information:
269-471-3470 or ctcenter@andrews.edu.
Your investment in your health is the most lucrative one you could ever make. It’s priceless!
A.G. Daniells:
Lessons in Leadership
presented by
Dr. Benjamin McArthur
Professor of History
at
Southern Adventist University
Sabbath, April 12, 3:30 p.m.
Chan Shun Hall
Andrews University
Berrien Springs, MI
McArthur is a graduate of Andrews University. He subsequently earned MA and PhD degrees from the University of Chicago. Following graduate school, he joined the faculty at Southern where he taught history for 30 years.
He then spent three years at Southwestern Adventist University where he served as academic dean. He returned to the classroom and to Southern Adventist University in 2012. His primary teaching interests are in American history, from colonial times through the early twentieth century. He also enjoys writing screenplays and has written two books on the American theater.
In recent years his scholarly interest has focused on the Adventist church. He is currently involved in writing a biography of A.G. Daniells, the longest-serving president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, who is the subject of his presentation.
The following information from Wikipedia provides a brief background on A.G. Daniells:
Arthur Grosvenor Daniells (1858–1935) was a Seventh-day Adventist minister and administrator, most notably the longest serving president of the General Conference.
He served as secretary to James and Ellen White for one year. He later worked as an evangelist and was one the pioneers of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific. He became the president of the Australasia Union Conference, and then the president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (1901 to 1922). He led the church in developing a new level of church government, the union conference. He was the first chairperson of the Ellen G. White Estate (1915 to 1935).
He was not reelected in 1922. In his retirement Daniells formed the Seventh-day Adventist Ministerial Association and Ministry magazine.
Andrews University invites you to attend its third annual Summit for Social Consciousness from Wednesday, April 9, through Sunday, April 13. This year’s symposium will focus on the theme of “The Poor Next Door: Poverty In America,” with the objective of informing the community of this chronic problem in our nation, and also providing a means for students and community leaders to engage in social action. All events are free and open to the public.
Michael Snyder’s 2010 article in the Business Insider about poverty in America, states that “The "America" that so many of us have taken for granted for so many decades is literally disintegrating right in front of our eyes…millions upon millions of Americans are slipping out of the middle class and into the devastating grip of poverty” (Snyder, 2010). It is our responsibility to explore the reasons behind this devastating fact and take action. The Summit on Social Consciousness is designed to bring awareness and public education to the subject through the knowledge of different speakers and the opportunity to serve the community hands on.
On Wednesday, April 9, at 6:45 p.m., the summit kicks off in the Pioneer Memorial Church Youth Chapel with Rachel Wade from United Way of Southwest Michigan who will engage attendees in a discussion on relevant facts regarding poverty in our country. In addition to the evening’s presentation, the audience will have the opportunity to participate in a poverty simulation activity. On Thursday April 10, there will be a documentary screening of “Inequality for All” in the Newbold Auditorium in Buller Hall beginning at 7 p.m.
The film features former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich and is directed by Jacob Kornbluth. On Friday April 11, there will be a University Vespers held at Pioneer Memorial Church at 7 p.m. featuring special guest speakers Bonnie Bazata and Taurus Montgomery. On Saturday April 12, a church service will be held at the Howard Performing Arts Center at 11 a.m. with Dr. Timothy Nixon as the keynote speaker, followed by afternoon breakout sessions held in the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University, beginning at 3 p.m.
The breakout sessions will explore the different factors involved in increased poverty levels in the U.S. and will cover various topics addressing the social implications of poverty and economic inequalities. Presenters for these sessions include the following: Joel Raveloharimisy, director of the community & international development masters program at Andrews University; Peter Lombardo from the Center for the Homeless in South Bend, Ind.; Twyla Smith, assistant professor of social work & director of field education at Andrews University; Lucy Randall from Neighbor to Neighbor; Nicholas Miller, assistant professor of church history at the Seminary and director of the International Religious Liberty Institute; and Sarah Kimakwa, reference & marketing librarian at the James White Library at Andrews University.
Join us this Saturday, April 12, at 6 p.m. for a very special presentation of a musical cantata called: Under God's Sea in 3D, presented by a children's choir of 40 voices. This event is open to all and will take place in the University Towers Auditorium on the campus of Andrews University.
Please invite your friends and support these kids as their use their talents to glorify God! Presented by One Mustard Seed. Questions: Rich Aguilera, richaguilera@gmail.com.
April is Alcohol Awareness Month and the Division of Student Life is sponsoring several activities this week that seek to highlight the impact of the use of alcohol and other drugs on college students, discuss ways to prevent sexual assault, reduce misperceptions about social norms associated with alcohol and other drugs, and provide information about where students can obtain help (e.g., Campus Safety, Counseling & Testing Center, Campus Ministries, Student Life). Get involved in the conversation!
Sunday, April 20, 7 p.m.
Newbold Auditorium, Buller Hall
Guitarists Jose Torres and Darrin Thurber, Seminary students, will be sharing original compositions. Their music is born from the everyday joys and struggles of life expressed through the imagery of the yearly season. Hope to see you there.
Website: www.seasonsofthesoul.weebly.com
You are invited to join parents, faculty, administrators, staff and guests at our 2014 BEST Early Imagine Different Research Symposium on Friday, April 25, 2014 at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan. The event begins at noon and ends at 2:15 p.m.
murrayd@bestearly.org Scrapbookers and cardmakers bring your projects to the PMC Commons on Sunday, April 13, from 12–7 p.m. Enjoy prizes and snacks while you are working on your projects. Hope to see you there.
The Fountainview Academy orchestra and choir will perform a variety of uplifting and inspiring compositions, from old familiar hymns like, “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” to soul stirring arrangements of “In the Heart of Jesus” and “Be still, my Soul.” Their goal is to leave each member of the audience with a desire to better know the Saviour. This goal has been the aim of Fountainview’s many music tours and video productions since its inception. A freewill offering will be collected to sponsor future projects.
Admission is free.
Tuesday, April 22
3–5 p.m.
Chan Shun Hall
The campus is invited to a retirement open house for Eileen Lesher, who has served at Andrews University for 30 years. Special presentations will take place at 4 p.m.
The J.N. Andrews Honors Program cordially invites the Andrews community to its capstone academic event, the spring Honors Thesis Symposium, next Friday, April 11, 2014, 1:30–5 p.m. All sessions will be held in Buller Hall with light refreshments served in the main floor lobby at 3 p.m. A symposium schedule is attached listing presenters and titles. Thanks for your support of our undergraduate researchers!
Pilipino Culture Night (PCN) is back! Join us this coming Sunday, April 6, at 2 p.m. in the Newbold Auditorium in Buller Hall for a Filipino Romeo and Juliet love story! There will be Filipino refreshments and other cultural things as well!
AFIA (Andrews Filipino International Association) members are FREE, students/non-members $5, and community $10. Tickets at the door.
Excited to see you all there!
afia@andrews.edu
Monday, April 21, 2014
9–11 a.m.
Administration Building, Room 307
Esteban Quiyono will defend his dissertation in partial fulfillment for the PhD degree in Religious Education. Esteban Quiyono’s dissertation title is, “Relationship Between Involvement in Institutional Activities and Christian Life Commitment Among Undergraduate Students of a Christian University in Mexico.”
Those wishing to attend must make their request through Anna Piskozub, by calling 269-471-3109.
Sunday, April 6, 3 p.m.
Buller Hall Student Lounge
Andrews University Department of Music invites the community to attend a special roundtable discussion event with the production team of the Easter performance of “Passion of Christ According to Matthew.” The roundtable will take place on Sunday, April 6, at 3 p.m., in the Buller Hall Student Lounge. It is free and open to the public.
Presented by the Andrews University Department of Music, “Passion of Christ According to Matthew” will take place Easter weekend, April 18 and 19, at 7 p.m. in the Howard Performing Arts Center. The “St. Matthew Passion” is traditionally performed as a concert work, set to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and telling the story of the death of Christ straight from the Gospel of Matthew. The Department of Music uses this concert piece to present a fully staged modern drama.
The story is essentially verbatim from the Bible, and intermingled with the story are lots of meditation points—opportunities to dwell on the story in a personal way before moving on.
“The idea of ‘stations of the cross’ is common in many other denominations, where participants take time to really think about different parts of the story of Christ’s death and resurrection and what they mean,” says Charles Reid, associate professor of voice and producer of the performance. “This is what the Andrews University annual Passion Play has strived to create as well. You get not only into what happens to Jesus, but how everything relates to the other characters in the story. It’s truly eye-opening.”
David Ortiz, a sophomore music major, will play the role of evangelist/narrator. Deneile Clark, a student in the Seventh-day Adventist Seminary on the campus of Andrews University, plays the role of Jesus.
Something Reid and his cast and crew paid special attention to was allowing the audience to connect with the characters and, as a result, the story. Reid and student Aleks Kravig translated the piece from its original German into a more connectable, common American English, while still staying true to Bach’s intent with the language.
Not only is the dialogue more modern, the producers have also opted for a more contemporary, casual approach to costuming.
“Jesus didn’t get dressed up to be Jesus,” Reid points out. “He just wore clothes. Same for the disciples. Era-appropriate costuming adds another disconnect of that’s how it was ‘back then.’ We want this story to be as relatable as possible.”
A joint venture between the vocal/choral area of the department and the symphonic area, “Passion” is a major department production. Stephen Zork, associate professor of music for choir and voice, is conducting the performances, while Claudio Gonzalez, associate professor of music for orchestra and strings, is managing the instrumental aspect for the production, including ensuring the appropriate instruments for the performance.
“When you look at this story little by little you see Jesus was very emotional,” says Reid. “He actually got angry, afraid, frustrated, even angsty. Not things we usually associate with Jesus. So a piece like this, done how we’re doing it in a more contemporary setting, can have a strong impact on anyone, Christian or not.”
Reid, Zork and Gonzalez will be present at the roundtable, in addition to some soloists. Attendees will be given the opportunity to ask questions about the production, the characters, and the setting, as well as interacting personally with those involved in “Passion of Christ According to Matthew.”
For further information about this roundtable, call 269-605-3438. For details on the production of “Passion,” visit howard.andrews.edu or call 269-471-3560. The event is free and open to the public; tickets are not required.
Sunday, April 13, 4 p.m.
Howard Performing Arts Center
The Wind Symphony will perform Shepherd’s Hey by Percy Grainger, Water Music Suite by Handel, Variations on a Korean Folk Song by John Barnes Chance, Canzon noni toni by G. Gabrieli for two brass choirs, Symphonic Dances from “Fiddler on the Roof” by Jerry Bock/Ira Hearshen and the Clarinet Concerto by Philip Sparke featuring Jason Gresl on clarinet.
Jason Gresl is an adjunct instructor of clarinet and saxophone at Andrews University. The Andrews University Community Brass Ensemble, under the direction of Omar Carballo, will also perform Bach Buco by Tico Meneses.
General admission is $5, student and senior admission is $3 and children under 12 are free. Call the Howard Center Box Office at 269-471-3560 for tickets.
Silent Praise is a ministry that uses American Sign Language and Signed English Sign Language to interpret Christian music. They have been ministering to the hearing and the deaf since 2001. It is their goal to bring the gospel to life and to win souls for the kingdom of heaven.
No tickets are required.
Adventist Retirees of Michiana are inviting non-member adults to join a bus excursion to Lancaster, Penn., May 27–29, 2014. Watch the familiar biblical story come to life in this surround-sound, 2,500-seat theater complex with music, towering sets, live animals and stunning costumes. Experience the despondency and murmuring of the children of Israel; then encounter God's amazing power of deliverance, both then and throughout history.
Deadline: April 16 or when the bus is filled. For further info, contact rosienash@gmail.com, rpuymon@juno.com, or crounsev@hotmail.com.
rosienash@gmail.com Double Blessings For You and Children
It is spring time and you have lots of stuff to sort through! Would you like to put your unwanted items towards a good cause?
Gearing up for National Library Week, the James White Library and the Andrews University Summit on Social Consciousness is teaming up to collect your extra items to proudly donate to emergency centers and safe shelters in our local community!
We need:
You can donate the items in the clearly labeled boxes at the following locations:
Look for the RED boxes with clearly labeled BLUE and YELLOW signs on the Andrews University Campus from April 3–11, 2014
The Summit on Social Consciousness will be presenting events based on the theme, The Poor Next Door: Poverty in America each evening from April 9–13, where you can also bring your donation. The total donation will be announced at the closing event on Saturday evening, April 12, when representatives from local organizations will accept our kind donations.
For details, questions, or volunteer opportunities, please contact:
Sarah Kimakwa
Reference & Marketing Librarian
James White Library
Phone: 269-471-3639
Email: kimakwa@andrews.edu
April 18, 2014
9:30 a.m.
Administration Building, Room 307
Kelvin Onongha will defend his dissertation in partial fulfillment of the PhD degree in the area of Missions. Onongha's dissertation title is, "Towards a Missiological Model for Worldview Transformation Among Adherents to African Traditional Religion in Yorubaland." Those wishing to attend must make their request by calling 269-471-6002 no later than April 16, 2014.
April 4–8, 2014
7–8 p.m.
Meetings will take place on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday & Wednesday.
All Nations Church, 4259 E Snow Road, Berrien Springs, MI 49103
The All Nations Church is hosting an evangelistic outreach featuring Pastors Lerisnel St. Fleur and Marvin Gittens. The public is invited to attend. Free childcare and refreshments are provided.
Contact phone: 269-473-4400
269-473-4400April 5: Pastor Darrel le Roux, "Victoriously Tempted, Part 2"
Sabbath School: 9:30 a.m.
Church Services: 8:30 & 11 a.m.
Niles Westside Adventist Church
1105 Grant St (at Fairview Ave)
Niles, Michigan
www.nileswestside.org
Do you want to teach English overseas?
Do you want to be a student missionary?
Do you want to be an English language tutor?
The TESOL Certificate Program is an intensive workshop covering the basic
language concepts and methods of teaching English to speakers
of other languages.
The program dates are July 7-August 1, 2014
Participants register for the following seven credits:
ENGL 460—Linguistics (3 credits)
ENGL 435—Topics in Linguistics: TESOL Certificate (4 credits) *
* Students completing the TESOL minor must register for:
ENGL 465—TESOL Methods (2 credits)
ENGL 435—Topics: The TESOL Professional (1 credit)
ENGL 435—Topics: Teaching & Learning for the TESOL Classroom (1 credit)
Non-credit option available: $1,800
Credit option, regular tuition ($1,028 per credit)
Sabbath
April 5, 6:30 p.m.
PMC Youth Chapel
Hosted by seminary students presenting a special program entitled "Be Bold for Christ." All are welcome.
Sabbath worship on April 5, 2014, will be International Student Sabbath at Pioneer Memorial Church. Since Andrews University is known for its international student diversity, we would like to encourage students, faculty, staff and members of the community to come dressed in your traditional costumes (Sabbath appropriate, please). All of the costumes and colors will be a beautiful display of how colorful heaven will be and a reminder of the place where we will dwell in unity with each other in the presence of God.
We are looking forward to seeing you at worship. Please pray for the program and the participants so we will all be blessed and be assured of our Savior's soon return.
robertb@andrews.edu
Sunday, April 13
Seminary Chapel
Come enjoy a free classical concert by the students, staff, faculty and friends of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary. Light refreshments to follow. Co-curricular credit available.
Community, Students Invited to da Vinci® Surgical System Demonstration and Seminar at Lakeland
(ST. JOSEPH) – Two free community events on Thursday, April 17, will highlight Lakeland HealthCare’s newest member of the surgical team — the da Vinci® Si enhanced surgical robot. An open house for students and a dinner seminar for adults will provide information about Lakeland’s da Vinci team of seven surgeons and the benefits of minimally invasive surgery using the robot. Visit www.lakelandhealth.org/davinci or www.davincisurgery.com to learn more.
Robots in HealthCare – Open House for Students
Thursday, April 17, 3:00 to 5:30 p.m.
Lakeland Regional Medical Center, St. Joseph
Frederick S. Upton Education Center
Area students of all ages are invited to learn about medical treatment using the da Vinci robot at this unique behind-the-scenes opportunity at Lakeland. They can even take a “test drive” with the robot and play the role of a surgeon.
Dinner and a Robot – See the Future of Surgical Care at Lakeland HealthCare
Thursday, April 17, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Lakeland Regional Medical Center, St. Joseph
Frederick S. Upton Education Center, Rooms 5 and 6
Local surgeons specially trained on the da Vinci® Surgical System will host this free event for community members. Participants will learn about minimally invasive procedures using the da Vinci robot and the benefits of this type of surgery.A demonstration of the da Vinci Surgical System with a model replica will be given.
A free buffet-style dinner will be served from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.; preregistration for this event is required. Please call (269) 556-2808 or (866) 260-7544.
ANDREWS ACADEMY FUND RAISING BENEFIT
(FOR NEEDY STUDENTS)
HOSTED BY
NPSDA VICTORS BASKETBALL TEAM
Come Out and Support Christian Education
Saturday Evening (Sunset) 8:30PM
April 12, 2014
ANDREWS ACADEMY GYM
$5.00 at the door
Three-Point Shooting Contest at Half-Time
$10.00 entry fee for all Contestants
(Trophy to Winner)
All checks should be payable to:
Andrews Academy -Needy Student Fund
All Donors are welcomed to contribute and match $500.00 or more !!!
Thank you in Advance for your SUPPORT!
"A Praying Church" is the theme of our Spring Week of Prayer 2014. Pastor Kelly opens the session with a Communion Service on the first Sabbath morning. Pastor Daniel Augsburger will present Sabbath through Friday evening sessions and the final Sabbath morning worship services. A highlight of these sessions is the specially planned children’s classes where they will also learn about prayer in a fun, interactive way. We are a praying church family and we wish for that to include all of our members!
Here are the adult and kid’s programming:
Kids’ Program “My Whole Self Before You,” age 4-11
Please RSVP the number of children who will attend to firsttheblade@andrews.edu.
269-471-7795From April 7 to 11, the Student Financial Services lobby will turn into a full-service financial aid station during regular business hours. Financial aid advisors and trained staff will be on hand to walk you through the financial aid requirements for 2014-2015. From guiding you through filing your FAFSA, to turning in documents and explaining verification, someone will be there to answer your questions. No appointments are necessary.
Our goal is to have you leave Andrews this semester with your financial aid paperwork done and prepared for financial clearance starting June 15.
Loma Linda’s TV show, called "Life on the Line," will be premiering nationally on PBS’s WORLD Channel starting Friday, April 4. The show features courageous individuals—from a newborn fighting heart disease to a young survivor of the 2010 Haitian earthquake—and turns their journeys into a moving documentary series for television.
The show trailer and air times are posted at www.lifeontheline.tv.
Andrews University received a release early this morning from Deputy Chief Rick Smiedendorf at the Berrien Springs Oronoko Township Police Department regarding the assaults that occurred late Saturday evening on our campus. It is as follows:
“Through the assistance of the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, tips from citizens and video provided by Andrews University Office of Campus Safety, three suspects were arrested. An ‘air-soft’ pistol that was believed to have been used in this incident was recovered as well. All three subjects were lodged in the Berrien County Jail charged with multiple counts of armed robbery. BSOTPD is grateful for the tips received and for the assistance provided by the FBI-VCTF. Cooperation with citizens and other law enforcement agencies made it possible to close this felony investigation in a little more than 24 hours.”
"While we are disappointed these events took place on our campus," says Niels-Erik Andreasen, University president, "we are grateful to those who provided information that helped lead to the quick and timely apprehension by our police department of the suspects involved in these crimes."
Good food for a good cause. That can describe a variety of food events from potlucks to bake sales. What makes the Andrews University International Food Fair unique is that people can sample food from around the world and at the same time support more than 20 international student organizations.
With sunny skies and temperatures in the 50s, people flocked to the 50th annual international food fair Sunday afternoon in the Johnson Gym on the Andrews campus.
Organizers predicted that 5,000 people or more would attend the annual event and help raise $30,000 to $35,000 for student and community organizations.
<<< Read the full story >>>
Student Feedback Requested
Spring course surveys: April 6 - 25
Please take a few minutes to complete a course survey for each of your courses. Andrews faculty value your feedback as they plan their courses for the coming semesters. Survey invitations will be emailed Sunday, April 6. Please plan to complete a survey for each course by Friday, April 25. A certificate of completion, which may be given to instructors who request it, will be emailed after each survey is finished. Thank you for your participation in this important activity.
For more information, contact the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, BH204, ext. 3308, or email assessment@andrews.edu.
Dear Campus Community:
I've just met this morning with our Campus Safety department, residence halls and Student Life staff, and our AUSA president regarding the crimes committed on our campus last night.
You've received some details already, perhaps through text or emails or, I hope, both.
However, I wanted to review what we know now, and how and when that information was shared with campus:
Berrien Springs-Oronoko Township Police officers as well as other law enforcement agencies were called to the campus of Andrews University shortly after 11 p.m., Saturday, March 29, after reports were made on a series of assaults and robberies.
Officers learned through an initial investigation that three different individuals were robbed at three different locations on campus (Meier Hall, outside Nethery Hall and outside Garland Apartments). Two of these individuals were current students, and the third was not a student.
Later investigation showed the three thieves attempted to take wallets, cash and ID from the victims. Two of the victims had facial injuries as a result of these assaults, and were treated on the scene.
These incidents took place between 10:57 p.m. and 11:20 p.m. The victims have reported the three suspects had a hand gun and a knife. At this point it has been confirmed that the gun used was a plastic pellet gun.
Two of the suspects were last seen running toward the woods from the Garland Apartments area.
Officers are still searching for the suspects, and police are reviewing video from different campus cameras in an attempt to identify the suspects.
Earlier today we sent a link to an image of the suspects. If you have any information about these suspects or last evening's crimes, please contact the Berrien Springs-Oronoko Township Police at 269-471-2813 or Campus Safety at 269-471-3321.
Initial descriptions suggest that the first suspect is described as a short black male with dreadlocks and glasses wearing a gray or light blue hoodie, the second is a white male and the third is an unknown male wearing a white cloth over his mouth. One of the victims also reported that the suspect/s were wearing white tennis shoes.
As we have talked, we understand that accurate and proactive information is essential at moments like these. Several of you have asked questions about how quickly information was shared on campus, especially as residence halls were on a lockdown during this intense time of investigation.
While much of the information and details were still emerging over the first moments and hours, it's our responsibility to let you know immediately that a campus lockdown has occurred, and to also let you know when it's been lifted. Often, that's been done with the RAVE alert system and email; last evening 2,839 text messages and 4,613 emails were sent shortly before 1 a.m.
Last night, we did not share that information as quickly as we should have once the residence hall lockdown began, even as we were actively working with the victims and the investigation was unfolding.
That should not have been the case. I want you to know that we are committed to understanding and sharing information immediately at times like these, and to keep you updated on this particular situation.
This note is part of that commitment to keep you informed, and we will continue to share updates as they develop.
If you are not signed up to the AU Alert system, please do so here.
Niels-Erik Andreasen
President
Andrews International Center for Educational Research (AICER) presents Beverly Rumble, editor of the Journal of Adventist Education, April 3, 2014, from 6–7 p.m. Her topic will be "Writing for Publication in the Journal of Adventist Education."
Consider writing for publication in the Journal of Adventist Education. Join the editor for a special AICER session. Come and share ideas, current research, and learn more about writing for the Journal. The Journal of Adventist Education is the professional publication for Seventh-day Adventist teachers and educational administrators worldwide. Published five times a year, the journal accepts articles on education theory or practice, and articles dealing with creative and effective use of methods to enhance learning environments. Articles in the Journal are subject to double-blind peer review, and freelance submissions are considered for publication.
Face-to-face participants meet in Bell Hall, Room 013.
Online participants to login as "Guest" at https://andrews.adobeconnect.com/_a877709416/research/ or http://www.andrews.edu/sed/aicer/researchwebinars/ whether or not they are registered at Andrews University.
Early Sunday afternoon President Andreasen sent a message to the Andrews University campus community updating them on the events of last evening. You may find the entire text of this message on the Andrews Agenda.
Berrien Springs-Oronoko Township Police officers as well as other law enforcement agencies were called to the campus of Andrews University to work with Campus Safety shortly after 11 p.m., Saturday, March 29, after reports were made on a series of assaults and armed robberies.
Officers learned through an initial investigation that three different individuals were robbed at three different locations on campus (Meier Hall, outside Nethery Hall and outside Garland Apartments). Two of these individuals were current Andrews University students, and the third was not a student.
Later investigation showed the three thieves took a wallet, cash and ID from one of the victims. Two of the victims had facial injuries as a result of these assaults, and were treated on the scene.
These incidents took place between 10:57 p.m. and 11:20 p.m. The victims have reported the three suspects had a handgun and a knife. At this point it has been confirmed that the gun used was a plastic pellet gun.
Initial descriptions suggest that the first suspect is described as a short black male with dreadlocks and glasses wearing a gray or light blue hoodie, the second is a white male and the third is an unknown male wearing a white cloth over his mouth. One of the victims also reported that the suspect/s were wearing white tennis shoes.
Two of the suspects were last seen running toward the woods from the Garland Apartments area.
Officers are still searching for the suspects, and police are reviewing video from different campus cameras in an attempt to identify the suspects.
The Office of International Student Services & Programs will be closed on Monday, March 31, 2014. We will re-open on Tuesday, April 1, 2014 at 1:30 p.m. We are sorry for any inconvenience that may be caused. Thanks for your understanding.
Granger Adventist Fellowship Church
Meets at the New Salem United Methodist Church
52173 Ash Road
Granger, IN
Time: 10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m.
Discussion-based Adult Sabbath School 10:00-11:00
Active Children's Sabbath School Lessons 10:00-11:00
Child Friendly Worship Service 11:00-12:00
Fellowship Lunch following worship service
For more information go to the website www.grangerfellowship.org
Please submit information for the Andrews Agenda by visiting the Agenda submissions page and use your Andrews login and password.
To add an event to the AU Online Calendar, visit the Events submissions page and use your Andrews login and password.
