2003 President's Report
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INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY President’s Report 2003 MISSION STATEMENT Indiana Wesleyan University is a Christ-centered academic community committed to changing the world by developing students in character, scholarship and leadership. IWU Alumni, Friends Answered the Call This issue of the Triangle, the annual President’s Report, is a bit thicker than usual, and there is a reason for that. You are the reason. The last half of the magazine features our annual Honor Roll of Donors for 2003. A year ago, there were 3,300 names on the list. This year, there are 5,800. To say that alumni and friends answered the call to support Indiana Wesleyan University during the past year would be an understatement of significant proportions. We are overwhelmed and amazed, but mostly humbled and thankful, by your response. There are at least two explanations for the 75 percent increase in the number of individual donors in just one year: • Five years ago, IWU launched a $48 million capital campaign. The goal was so aggressive that even we were shaking our heads at times. But as the capital campaign draws to a close on Dec. 31, we are within reach of our goal. • In June 2002, Lilly Endowment issued a challenge to every college in Indiana. If we could raise $3.5 million—$3 million of it from alumni—Lilly would match those gifts dollar-for-dol- lar. We are well on our way to doing that by Dec. 31. The Lilly Endowment challenge was specifically designed to encourage more alumni of Indiana colleges and universities to support their alma maters. Lilly Endowment simply was affirming something we already knew: Colleges and universities that boast high levels of giving from alumni – as well as faculty, staff, students and parents – often are among the strongest institutions in the country. There is a definite connection between giving and engagement. Alumni who make a financial contribution to their alma mater are more likely to be interested in the institution’s vitality and effectiveness. The number of people who send gifts to IWU and the reasons they send those gifts are far more important than the size of the actual gifts. So, to each of the 5,800 people whose names appear in this issue of the Triangle, we say thanks for demonstrating how much you care about Indiana Wesleyan University. And during this special season of caring, Tommie and I wish you a blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year! DR. JIM BARNES ’65 PRESIDENT OF INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY 2 PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2003 • TRIANGLE FEATURE ARTICLES CAPS Covers New Territory Under Dr. Mark Smith’s leadership, the College of Adult and Professional Studies continues to add new educa- 44 tion centers and new programs. Happy Birthday, Howard Noggle! Alumni and friends wished Howard Noggle ’40 a happy 85th birthday at Homecoming 2003, and five alumni 88 received special awards. Basketball Star Backs Possibility Network Former All-American and NBA All- Star Isiah Thomas is IWU’s spokesman for The Possibility 1818 Network, funded by Lilly Endowment. Excellence Honored IWU is one of 12 private colleges chosen nationwide to be a founding institution for ‘Foundations for Excellence in the First College Year.’ 2020 FEATURE SECTIONS Homecoming 2003 8 Alumni News 10 Job Listings 16 Campus News 20 Honor Roll of Donors 22 ON THE COVER: IWU’s College of Adult and Professional Studies has helped thousands of adults realize their dream of a college degree. INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY | TRIANGLE | President’s Report 2003, Vol. 84, No. 1 | EDITOR Alan Miller | ART DIRECTOR Gary Phillips ’92 | ALUMNI NEWS EDITOR Cindy Ruder The TRIANGLE (issn 10666893) is published quarterly, free to alumni, by Indiana Wesleyan University. Second-class postage paid at Marion, Indiana, and additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Indiana Wesleyan University, 4201 South Washington Street, Marion, Indiana 46953-4974. Internet address: http://www.indwes.edu An Adult Dr. Mark Smith Friendly Format APS Program Has Been a Dramatic Success Story Dr. Mark Smith has been vice president of Indiana employees of Indiana have recognized the worth of the Wesleyan University’s College of Adult and Professional degree programs. Studies since March 2002. During Dr. Smith’s tenure, enrollment in adult programs has grown dramatically. In The College of Adult and Professional Studies already the following interview, he discusses past successes and has extended its reach across state lines to Ohio and what the future holds for IWU’s adult education programs. Kentucky. How broad may the horizons become? Why did IWU begin an adult education program? Such IWU is currently planning for additional sites in Ohio in programs weren’t very common in 1985, were they? places such as Cincinnati and possibly other sites in Kentucky such as Lexington. With over 650 students in IWU began adult degree programs to expand the Kentucky and 1,000 projected for Cleveland, we must not Christian mission of the university and meet an expressed limit the blessings of God. We have talked about addition- need by many working adults in Indiana. In 1985 many al states and will continue to plan for those opportunities Indiana workers were not able to access higher education as they are presented. We plan to provide as many people due to the format of day classes conflicting with their as possible with a Christ-centered education built on the work schedules. When IWU began to offer an adult principles of character, leadership, and scholarship. friendly format, many Indiana workers realized their dreams of a degree. The adult education program no longer is limited by geography? What is the potential for online degree How do you explain the dramatic growth of the pro- programs? gram in its two-decade history? Online programming is expanding at a rapid rate. Last First and foremost, God has provided the blessing of year, we grew from 490 to 900 students in full degree growth. Second, the university has been blessed with a programs online. We are projecting this area to grow to president who has a vision for growth and encourages 5,000 in the next five years. Many times, I have shared creativity and entrepreneurial ideas. Third, the adult pro- with the staff that this tool called the Internet is the best grams have been built around a great team of people who missionary tool of all ages. We are able to take the Good are totally committed to quality service and programming. News literally around the world through the means of a Last of all, and not by any means least, the employers and Christ-centered education. 4 PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2003 • TRIANGLE Can you provide a profile of a typical adult learner? How unique is IWU’s religion requirement among adult education programs? The typical adult learner is around 30 years of age, has 10 to 12 years of work experience and is employed full-time. A specific requirement of a religion is not unique, but Sixty-five percent of the students are female, and 21 per- what is definitely unique is the seriousness with which we cent come from diverse backgrounds. Another benefit of approach our Christ-centered mission. In the adult pro- the adult program is that we are meeting a need for many grams, faculty are screened with regard to Christian mis- African-American working adults. The format and group sion through several interviews, a mentoring program and work is a cultural tie to this community. We are removing a series of Faith and Learning workshops. Furthermore, barriers in order for all to be educated. faculty integrate biblical principles throughout the cur- riculum in many courses, not just one or two courses. How do you answer critics who still raise red flags APS also has an integrated chaplaincy component for about the quality of non-traditional adult education each student core group. This mission is changing lives. programs? What impact has Biblical integration had on our pro- The only way to refute critics is to have a quality assess- ment system. In 1997, the College of Adult and grams? Professional Studies built an assessment system that is Many times each year, students or faculty respond with widely recognized by North Central Association, the letters or notes to the work that God is doing in their National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher lives. As one student put it recently, “Thank you for a Education and Commission on Collegiate Nursing great education, but thanks even more for the gift of eter- Education teams as being outstanding. This system is nal life.” Only time will tell what impact the emphasis of built on objective data and allows for many quality pro- faith integration has had on the lives of APS students. gram improvements. This system has been presented at national conferences, and has attracted many schools for consulting. People may misrepresent programs, but num- How has the growth of IWU’s adult education pro- bers and statistics that verify quality do not lie. We now gram impacted the growth of traditional programs on have the facts, which have changed the perceptions about the Marion campus? Or is there no relationship adult programs. between the two? The number of colleges offering adult education is First of all, the College of Adult and Professional Studies growing rapidly.What must IWU do to remain com- would like to say thank you to the wonderful faculty on petitive? the traditional campus that have supported the adult pro- grams for many years. Without their support, the adult IWU must continue to take a four-pronged approach to programs would not have succeeded, but now the growth remain competitive.