AUTUMN 2013 WHEATON God’s Creation A Laboratory for the Wheaton College Science Station Inside: Cuba––An Enigma • Do Miracles Happen? • Let’s End Abusive Coaching 133858_FC,IFC,01,BC.indd 1 8/4/13 4:31 PM Wheaton College serves Jesus Christ and advances His Kingdom through excellence in liberal arts and graduate programs that educate the whole person to build the church and benefit society worldwide. volume 16 issue 3 A u T umN 2013 6 14 ALUMNI NEWS DEPARTMENTS 34 A Word with Alumni 2 Letters From the director of alumni relations 4 News 35 Wheaton Alumni Association News Sports Association news and events 10 56 Authors 40 Alumni Class News Books by Wheaton’s faculty; thoughts on grieving from Luke Veldt ’84. Cover photo: The Badlands of South Dakota is a destination for study and 58 Readings discovery for Wheaton students, and is in close proximity to their base Excerpts from the 2013 commencement address camp, the Wheaton College Science Station (see story, p.6). The geology by Rev. Francis Chan. program’s biannual field camp is a core academic requirement that gives majors experience in field methods as they participate in mapping 60 Faculty Voice exercises based on the local geological features of the Black Hills region. On field trips to the Badlands, environmental science and biology majors Dr. Michael Giuliano, head coach of men’s soccer learn about the arid grassland ecosystem and observe its unique plants and adjunct professor of communication studies, and animals. Geology students learn that the multicolored sediment layers calls for an end to abusive coaching. are ancient stream and floodplain deposits with volcanic ash from the Rocky Mountains. Many of the colored layers are actually ancient soils, 61 Student Profile providing more information about past environments, notes Dr. Stephen Jeremy Browning ’13 hopes one day to meld his Moshier, chair of geology and environmental science. Photo by Michael interests in the creative arts and business. Hudson ’89 Wheaton in the World Inside photos: Michael Hudson ’89, above (left); pp. 4, 8, 10, 12-13, 62 20, 28-30, 35; reunion photos (40-42, 44-45, 47, 50, 55), 59, 60-61; Two psychology professors, Drs. Terri Watson M.A. ’86 Les Barker, pp. 2, 4; Josh Olsen ’15, p. 6. and Sarah Hall, teach and conduct research in Nepal. 64 President’s Perspective 501 College Avenue Wheaton, Illinois 60187 133858_FC,IFC,01,BC.indd 2 8/8/13 11:19 PM WHEATO N contents 26 DEPARTMENTS FEATURES 2 Letters A Gem of a Collection Free to Serve The treasure trove of gems, rocks, and minerals given Medical missionaries reach the field sooner thanks 4 News 12to the College from the estate of Art Smith ’57 runs the 26to this organization conceived on Wheaton’s campus. gamut from egg-shaped geodes to crystals painted by Annette Heinrich LaPlaca ’86 10 Sports opalescent purple and green by the Master Artist. 56 Authors Those Who Light the Way Books by Wheaton’s faculty; thoughts on grieving Inside Cuba A senior’s art exhibit invites introspection—about the from Luke Veldt ’84. The enigma just off our shores, Cuba offers Wheaton 28people God uses to stretch, grow, and transform us all. 14students an unparalleled opportunity to witness by Kaitlyn Murphy ’13 58 Readings politics, faith, and life under a Communist regime. Excerpts from the 2013 commencement address by Rev. Francis Chan. by Jeremy Weber ’05 Modern-Day Miracles What makes us ready to respond to, or even be 60 Faculty Voice The Catalyst 31a conduit for, God’s miracles? Dr. Michael Giuliano, head coach of men’s soccer For promoting evangelism and collaboration throughout the by Dr. Amy Peeler, assistant professor of New Testament; and adjunct professor of communication studies, 20global church, S. Douglas Birdsall ’75 received the Alumni Susanna Spradley Smoak ’88; and Dawn Kotapish ’92 calls for an end to abusive coaching. Association’s 2013 Distinguished Service to Society Award. by Alanna Foxwell-Barajas ’06 61 Student Profile Jeremy Browning ’13 hopes one day to meld his interests in the creative arts and business. Momentum Alumni engineers demonstrate the benefits of a major 62 Wheaton in the World 22that’s gathering both strength and interest—Wheaton’s Two psychology professors, Drs. Terri Watson M.A. ’86 3–2 program for engineering. and Sarah Hall, teach and conduct research in Nepal. by Karen Halvorsen Schreck ’84 64 President’s Perspective 133858_FC,IFC,01,BC.indd 1 8/4/13 4:32 PM letter from the editor ore than 50 years ago when President V. Raymond Edman walked Editor Georgia I. Douglass ’70, M.A. ’94 across campus, he would greet each student by name. “Prexy” Editorial Consultant delighted in seeing his “lads and lassies.” Katherine Halberstadt Anderson ’90 As a student “lass” in 1966, I opened my CPO box to find a note Director of Marketing Communications Kimberly Medaglia from Dr. Edman asking me to come to his office. I went, a bit daunted Design Consultants mby this summons from the former president, now the chancellor. He Alice Isoz Chrismer ’70 quickly put me at ease, handing me a book I had misplaced that he Ellen Mardock Chrismer+ Mardock Communication had found. Granted, he could more easily have sent it through Class News Editor CPO, but he wanted to chat with me. To this day, I cherish that visit. Donna Antoniuk I knew even then that Dr. Edman had had problems with his Contributing Editor Ruby Thomas vision. He was first diagnosed with a detached retina in the right Editorial Adviser eye in 1959 and for two and a half years endured six rounds of Dr. R. Mark Dillon painful eye surgeries to restore his sight. For weeks at a time, he Wheaton Alumni Association lay immobile, in complete darkness. At one juncture, the prognosis President Christopher A. Jahns ’82 seemed hopeless.1 But through what he called the “Discipline of President-Elect Darkness,” he learned that “God’s promises shine even more brightly Kurt Tillman ’78 in the dark as do the stars.”2 Executive Director Cindra Stackhouse Taetzsch ’82 A year ago my own eyesight deteriorated. I could not have Professor Emeritus completed the previous two issues of Wheaton magazine without Leroy H. Pfund ’49 the ability to increase the type size considerably on my iMac. Alumni Trustee Representatives Christopher A. Jahns ’82 Georgia I. Douglass I read paper proofs only with a magnifying glass, a slow, tedious Kurt Tillman ’78 ’70, M.A. ’94 process. This spring one of the finest ophthalmologists in the country Timothy A. Stoner ’82 Editor performed surgeries on both my eyes. Two days following one of Wheaton College President the procedures—a delicate, difficult partial corneal transplant—he Dr. Philip G. Ryken ’88 pronounced the results to be “Fantastic!” Provost In this magazine is an article on miracles (pp. 31-33). Professor Dr. Stanton L. Jones of New Testament Dr. Amy Peeler writes that when we broaden Vice President for Finance Dale A. Kemp our concept of miracles, “We might not all have seen the dead Vice President for Student raised, but we have seen . bodies healed through the wisdom Development Paul O. Chelsen ’91 of physicians. We begin to realize that our daily existence is Vice President for Advancement miraculous because without the sustaining power of Christ all and Alumni Relations Dr. R. Mark Dillon creation would dissipate.”3 Executive Assistant I don’t know that Dr. Edman considered the restoration of his to the President Marilee A. Melvin ’72 sight a miracle. But now when I awake in the morning to see the sun’s rays, can drive to Ohio to see my grandchildren’s faces, and Wheaton is published autumn, winter, and spring by Wheaton College, 1 V. Raymond Edman, Out can actually see to read this magazine, I thank the Lord for the 501 College Ave., Wheaton, IL 60187-5593, of My Life (Grand Rapids: 630/752-5779, and mailed free of charge miracle of sight that he gave me. to alumni and friends of Wheaton College. Zondervan, 1961), pp. 45-47. Postmaster: Please send address changes to On September 22, 1967, as Dr. Edman was speaking to his lads and Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL 60187-5593. 2 Earle E. Cairns, V. Raymond lassies in the chapel named for him, he collapsed and died. On that day Wheaton magazine is an expression of the Edman: In the Presence of the College’s commitment to biblical faith and King (Chicago: Moody Press, I was working in the Health Center, and I called the ambulance. practice as expressed in our Statement of Faith and Community Covenant. In fulfilling 1972), p. 160. Miracles of this life are short-lived in light of heaven. Dr. Edman this purpose, the magazine exercises complete discretion over its form and content. 3 cf. Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3 now no longer sees through a glass darkly, for his view of reality is © 2013 Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL 4 cf. 1 Cor. 13:12 complete—and forever he beholds his Savior, face to face.4 www.wheaton.edu 2 AUTUMN 2013 133858_2_13.indd 2 8/3/13 12:28 PM dearWHEATO N I was born in Tokyo, Japan, and until getting I was delighted when I read the article about on the bus headed for HoneyRock for my Pete Willson ’50 in the most recent magazine. High Road experience before freshman year You clearly grasped the essence of Pete. at Wheaton, had never lived in the United There’s not another one quite like him! States. Perhaps it was growing up as a Pete came to Wheaton in my sophomore “third culture kid” or simply being raised by year as the assistant wrestling coach to my parents (Philip ’79 and Anda Margesson George Olson ’34.