Andrews University Agenda

Andrews University Agenda http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/ News and Events at Andrews University en-us Copyright 2026, Andrews University Mon, 27 Apr 2026 18:05:00 +0000 Mon, 27 Apr 2026 18:05:00 +0000 webmaster@andrews.edu webmaster@andrews.edu Andrews University Spring Graduation 2026 http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/69132 Andrews University’s spring graduation will take place May 1–3, 2026. The weekend’s events will include a Friday Commencement service and vespers service, Baccalaureate services on Sabbath morning and two additional Commencement services on Sunday morning. All commencement services will take place at the Andreasen Center for Wellness, and the Friday vespers and Baccalaureate services will be held at Pioneer Memorial Church. Please note that in order to provide adequate seating for the families of graduates, there are three commencement services with reserved seating only. Additional academic and cultural programs are planned throughout graduation weekend. Consult the online schedule for a complete listing at <a href="http://andrews.edu/graduation/schedule">andrews.edu/graduation/schedule</a>. On Friday, May 1, at 3 p.m., Mark Finley, assistant to the president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and president of Hope Lives Evangelistic Ministries, will deliver the address “The Essence of True Greatness” at the Commencement service for the College of Education & International Services and the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary. He will also be recognized as an honorary degree candidate at this service. Finley has served the Adventist church as a pastor, evangelist, teacher and administrator for nearly six decades. His passion for leading people to Jesus, communicating the gospel and teaching the next generation of ministers has touched countless lives. Honorary degree candidate Ernestine Finley will also be recognized at this service. Finley holds degrees in communications and personal outreach, with a major concentration on community health outreach. As an author, broadcast evangelist and teacher, she is known worldwide for her cooking classes and wellness ministry. Inspired by her passion for holistic living and plant-based dishes, Finley has published several books, including “Natural Lifestyle Cooking” and “A Lifetime of Hospitality.” Currently, she continues her ministry alongside her husband, Mark, at the Living Hope Evangelism Training Center. Alayne Thorpe, dean of the College of Education & International Services and School of Graduate Studies at Andrews and president of Griggs International, will be honored with the President’s Medallion. Thorpe holds a BA and MA in English, as well as a PhD in modern British literature, from the University of Maryland. She has dedicated her career to improving the educational experience of students around the world and has played an instrumental role in the development and management of distance education and graduate studies at Andrews University. On Saturday, May 2, Elden Ramirez, president of the Lake Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, will offer the address “What Hath God Wrought Through You” for both the 9 a.m. (graduate) and 11:45 a.m. (undergraduate) Baccalaureate services. Ramirez has previously served as the executive secretary of the Lake Union Conference, undersecretary of the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists and president of the Montana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. He has ministered across five states in a variety of roles, including academy chaplain, pastor and departmental director, and led the Office of Volunteer Ministries at the North American Division. Two Commencement services will take place on Sunday, May 3. At the 8:30 a.m. service, Zeno L. Charles-Marcel, director of Health Ministries for the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, will give the Commencement address “Required or Desired” for graduates of the College of Health & Human Services and College of Professions. Charles-Marcel additionally serves as an adjunct associate professor of medicine at Loma Linda University and executive director of the International Commission for the Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug Dependency. He is known for his work in lifestyle medicine, and he has served in various fields relating to health care, technology and business. Honorary degree candidate Patricia Gustin will be honored at this service. Gustin received her BS in elementary education from Union College, MA in religion from Andrews University and MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from Azusa Pacific University. As former director of the Institute of World Mission and current volunteer at Gospel Outreach, she has dedicated her life to mission work, training and expansion. Over her career, she has helped establish “Re-entry to Homeland” programs, overseen the publication of the “Passport to Mission” textbook and supported student mission initiatives at several Adventist colleges. Bettina Krause, editor of Liberty magazine and associate director of the Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Department for the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists, will deliver the address “Who Do You Think You Are?” at the 11:30 a.m. Commencement service for graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences. She will also be recognized as an honorary degree candidate at this service. Krause holds a Bachelor of Arts from Queensland University and Bachelor of Laws from Macquarie University. Throughout her several years of service to the church, Krause has worked to strengthen public awareness of the Adventist Church’s distinctive religious freedom message, serving as a “translator” of biblical and prophetic principles into the language of contemporary public policy debates. Select graduation services will be livestreamed. For details, visit <a href="http://andrews.edu/graduation">andrews.edu/graduation</a>. Mon, 27 Apr 2026 16:53:06 +0000 Dissertation Defense: Damson A. Oppong http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/69109 A PhD dissertation defense for Damson A. Oppong is scheduled on Monday, May 11, 2026, from 1–3:30 p.m. via Zoom. Damson A. Oppong will defend his dissertation in partial fulfillment for the PhD degree in leadership. His dissertation title is “Associating Emotional Intelligence, Cultural Intelligence, and Inclusive Leadership: A Correlational Study of Seventh-day Adventist Pastors and Church Leaders in Canada.” Those wishing to attend must make their request one day prior to the defense via email at <a href="mailto:ceisdeanga@andrews.edu">ceisdeanga@andrews.edu</a>. Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0000 Howard Presents: Chi Yong Yun & Charles Reid http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/67546 What happens when two world-class artists join forces? An unforgettable evening of music. Join internationally renowned tenor, Charles Reid and the incomparable pianist, Chi Yong Yun as they explore the magic of song. <div class="x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="margin-inline: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(8, 8, 9); font-size: 15px;"> For tickets, information, and a complete listing of performances, call the box office or visit our website: <a attributionsrc="/privacy_sandbox/comet/register/source/?xt=AZZdCoW63aaAhQ1HNyrdym3iB4_Dhyhhou04GR_5_lQY873Zqokd4KYMcJ3WWBL4cuCJQjU3vR3beYMU-apfRF7UxPXtxfOnHpaUYOsnOFWOl3Nlb5f8fZ2FXSRgvALVvcMrr0Bmg3D6skmILbNsNBn-HoJHI--IQVdRHc1s1igGXczE_RV4nPSBBIU6oV8XSM-k0lFdq5eI91SqCL10rvmx1_i_YiCY_ifz3AG2Jcut8DWCUhfFE8fTQj8RR2SseWwZuQhbXJjiRX7vjcClGRbszsn3V6q2M0oKiMka4542HxWi7n8gHIdUlQHTfagcrQ8K3qad0jLvjNrbYhYaT7XzK2rjdq9XeGhbP78BhjDr1rJxCr_RVKHBRv1j82feWxiHUANVQ90--gUFWGvVNP2OgQioUE2nT7TkrFfjI2c5mXmkyUhmFUkTgXNFmsjR00tg9rWNkpRnt7CTHnyFELYr9ioyBiKKxSzYecazti3nhzNhmaJNK8M_I-eDf_PiXmLP1d1tW59VsX9toawgaOZ3dkOZs-xCirPVYT0NVXaxNRXie_6vXH84p9yY-RU9rXX7el32bI8Ouqd7fkJTHNf13QgGw7dKoJZsc6tJxDyQatsi59eqMGNeJ0GA9kdl4Ocdiy3gbFSLGsdqD8Z2Tc_8725IZKjyRNeQhmeAkd-pCjAsNqVVLu61WY_nwKtPg8xKa-dSAsR6aKhC9JNYDmXimPMhkVsnEWXaQ03Jkry3h6uNfWGyNIdgvWMjBuMc7fWRsqj-Dt1-f536voJi3SrAakxvdfJf9EOdZzW9yCE564hInorAtfBEU1_iPVxl9yUKK8jXvbPk62KPITdqaxdjMBer9TKP1GFgfwQJSDz-ig" class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x1ejq31n x18oe1m7 x1sy0etr xstzfhl x972fbf x10w94by x1qhh985 x14e42zd x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 x3ct3a4 xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xkrqix3 x1sur9pj x1fey0fg x1s688f" href="https://howard.andrews.edu/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExQ2huS0hSdVhqdDlUdlRxNXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5BkjOWCbVvfPBt-UQG2Qzdekq5ZJiuvhgZ8CkkXcAHlqBKYdNPzcIqwNbNCg_aem_wR3OBmN1NIDtZ6ebdfciwA" rel="nofollow noreferrer" role="link" style="color: rgb(0, 100, 209); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; outline: none; border-inline-width: 0px; margin-inline: 0px; text-align: inherit; border-inline-style: none; padding-inline: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; font-weight: 600; list-style-type: none; box-sizing: border-box; touch-action: manipulation; background-color: transparent; display: inline; padding-bottom: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-top: 0px; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://howard.andrews.edu</a></div> <p class="x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="margin-inline: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(8, 8, 9); font-size: 15px;"> This performance is proudly supported by Scott & Brenda Schalk, whose commitment to the arts helps make events like this possible.” Thu, 23 Apr 2026 16:06:02 +0000 Hymn Sing http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/69105 Join us for a Hymn Sing in person or online on April 25 from 4:30–5:30 p.m. at Village Seventh-day Adventist Church, 635 St. Joseph Ave. Berrien Springs, MI 49103. These beautiful hymns with poetic verses are rich in praise to God and doctrinal instruction. Join us as we make sure they will never be forgotten! Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:28:54 +0000 Recognition & Awards Ceremony http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/68146 Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:27:54 +0000 Adventist Historians Publish Global Church History http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/69125 "A Global History" was launched in February by the Center for Adventist Research at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, in a special live-streamed evening program hosted by widely-known Adventist pastor Dwight K. Nelson and attended by numerous scholars, church leaders, Eerdman’s Publishing staff, and other interested persons. <<< Read the full story at the North American Division <a href="https://www.nadadventist.org/news/a-story-worth-telling-adventist-historians-publish-first-global-church-history-in-a-generation/">site</a> and Adventist Today <a href="https://atoday.org/a-new-book-explores-the-messy-and-marginalized-history-of-adventism-on-a-global-scale/">site</a> >>> Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:25:19 +0000 Alum Raises Awareness About Housing Crisis http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/69123 A South African architect and Obama Foundation Fellow has embarked on a roughly 1,600-kilometer walking journey from Durban to Cape Town to raise funds for an AI platform designed to help people design and build their own homes, drawing on his own experience growing up in township housing. Wandile Mthiyane, CEO and co-founder of the Durban-based Ubuntu Design Group, set off on April 16 to raise awareness of South Africa’s housing crisis and generate funding for Ubuntu Home, a platform that aims to provide people with land, services and AI tools to guide the home-building process. <<< Read the full story at the iAfrica <a href="https://iafrica.com/south-african-architect-walks-1600km-from-durban-to-cape-town-to-fund-ai-housing-platform/">site</a> and MyBroadband <a href="https://mybroadband.co.za/news/ai/641982-south-african-who-grew-up-in-a-mud-brick-shack-walking-1600km-to-fund-a-housing-ai-system.html">site</a> >>> Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:23:24 +0000 Religious Liberty Event Hosted at Andrews http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/69122 On April 11, 2026, the Lake Union Conference Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Department hosted “Two Freedoms, One Nation: Religious and Civil Liberty at 250” on the campus of Andrews University, urging attendees to remain alert in defending religious liberty and freedom of conscience. <<< Read the full story at the Lake Union Herald <a href="https://www.lakeunionherald.org/archive/articles/parl-day-participants-urge-vigilance-on-religious-liberty-and-freedom-of-conscience/">site</a> and Adventist News Network <a href="https://adventistreview.org/news/news-releases-news/experts-call-for-vigilance-on-religious-liberty-and-freedom-of-conscience/">site</a> >>> Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:12:30 +0000