Oregon's Professor of the Year
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LIFE VOL. XXXI, NO. 1 JANUARY 2001 Oregon’s Professor of the Year A mix of community service, scientific research and devotion to students earns Dwight Kimberly the highest teaching award ever earned by a George Fox professor PREPARING LEADERS WITH VALUES AND VISION See inside for our special insert on George Fox University’s Legacy Campaign Biology professor Dwight Kimberly says he’s embar- rassed by the attention his awards have brought him. He says he just likes people, like these eighth graders from Dayton, Ore., who visited George Fox’s human anatomy lab as part of the University’s science educa- tion outreach program. MONTEREY ANTHONY alking into the office of biology professor with other George Fox professors and students, promot- Dwight Kimberly, a visitor is met with a riot About the ing science to elementary, junior high, high school and Wof boxes, books, plastic bottles, towers of home-school students. Teachers from both public and coffee cups, a coiled orange extension cord, and a book- Carnegie/CASE Award private schools continually call him requesting loans of shelf laden with jars of large insects and small animals everything from microscopes to cadavers. Biology Professor Dwight Kimberly named preserved in formaldehyde. There’s an electronic type- During the nomination process, Kimberly cooperated writer and a corresponding stack of student letters of Oregon’s 2000 Professor of the Year reluctantly with the university relations office, who reference awaiting attention. (He’s completed 130 so far The Award: The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement assured him that any recognition he received would be this year.) There’s even a two-foot tall model of a DNA of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support good for George Fox. His nomination highlighted his strand, a flurry of red, blue, and yellow dots. of Education (CASE) administer the 20-year-old national research in developmental anatomy and physiology at The one thing you won’t find is any sign of the high- award program. Oregon Health Sciences University, and included anec- est award ever given to a George Fox professor: Oregon The Process: Kimberly was selected from among nominees dotes about his long hours and the time he helped save a Professor of the Year. Nothing visible announces that from 14 universities and colleges in Oregon. Three national student surgeon’s grade by giving mouth-to-mouth resus- Kimberly was chosen by three national selection com- selection committees narrowed the field to 44 state win- citation to an ailing lab rabbit. For the record, Kimberly mittees to receive the prestigious award, which is open ners and four national winners. — who is allergic to rabbits — used a small tube to to professors at all Oregon universities. administer the aid. Under questioning, Kimberly pulls a large framed When notified of the award, Kimberly didn’t bother award certificate from beneath his desk. That’s where it Academy of Science and George Fox University. to tell his colleagues, or even his wife. They found out will stay, he says. He’s satisfied with the current display “The reason I’ve gotten these awards is not academ- only when the winner was announced publicly. Kim- on his wall: photos of his family and mentor Elver Voth ic, but because I like people,” he says. “I find students berly’s response since receiving the award, has — a former George Fox science professor — and prints very interesting. Figuring out how they tick…discover- remained constant. “It’s mind-boggling,” he says. of a heron and raccoons. ing if I can allow them to do some things they couldn’t Leaving Kimberly’s office requires negotiating a “People and animals mean more to me,” he explains. do before.” pathway through the clutter, past file cabinets stacked Recognition hasn’t seemed to alter Kimberly, a per- Since returning to his alma mater in 1994, Kimberly with more stuff. Few flat surfaces remain bare in the sonable 56-year-old professor known to attract lines of has immersed himself in teaching, research, and com- small room. But one area is clear…an empty chair students wanting to chat. His most recent honor follows munity outreach. His efforts have led to educational awaiting his next student visitor. It rarely grows cold. similar teacher-of-the-year awards from the Oregon expeditions across Oregon and Washington, traveling — Rob Felton 2 ALUMNI IN MISSIONS Cari Hogan (’98) is the Salvation Army’s regional youth director in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. To All The World She helps organize and set up youth programs for the country’s 12 Salvation Army churches. When she fin- Alumni use their George Fox education as cross-cultural missionaries ishes her one-year commitment, she expects to move on to other missions elsewhere. little more than three years ago, David and news to everyone, including those from other cultures. Degree: B.A., Spanish, Writing/Literature from George Debby Thomas started their dream jobs. They It’s our job.” Fox; M.A., intercultural studies from Biola University. moved to Rwanda, an African nation still “Many of our students feel like giving their lives away Things I’ve learned in the Dominican Republic: A bruised and bloodied from its 1994 genocide. The in humble service,” adds Ron Stansell, professor of reli- It’s okay to pick your nose in public. In fact, it’s George Fox graduates provide support and guidance to gion and director of the Evangelical Friends Internation- extremely common. pastors in the Rwandan Friends Church, most of whom al Council. “It takes a certain mentality. Usually it Women here don’t shave their legs or underarms (I’m have less than a third-grade education. involves giving up a sense of security. It’s kind of count- not planning to acculturate in this way). Their dream began more like a nightmare. Ten days er-cultural. The yuppie desire for security is not universal. If you smash a spider instead of picking it up with a after arriving, their family dinner was interrupted by two “It’s important for George Fox’s spiritual health,” says Kleenex, mopping is a much bigger task. If you save your mop bucket water (spider guts and off-duty soldiers, who entered their home, pointed an Stansell. “Sending George Fox alums into ministry will all) and your dish water, you may actually be able to automatic weapon at them, and demanded money. Later, not necessarily enhance [the University] in the eyes of flush your toilet that day! David (’93) made a gruesome discovery while exploring the world at large. They won’t be wealthy alums, but if Going without electricity really isn’t all that bad — old foxholes where fighting had occurred during the war. we don’t send them, we’ll die from self-centeredness.” until you want to do a bed check, because you simply About a quarter-mile from the Apart from Mother Teresa, can’t get a candle close enough to the sheets to really Thomases’ new home, he found today’s missionaries are rarely see if there are any spiders down there. army helmets and human bones. Therefore go and known outside their Christian Mosquitoes really like fresh, white meat. Many would question the cou- make disciples of communities. About the only time Adventures of Daily Living: “Losing electricity on a ple’s decision to volunteer to work they make the headlines is when nearly daily basis (up to 19 hours so far) and going near- and raise three small children in all nations, they are kidnapped or killed. Still, ly three weeks without running water.” such a frightful place. At times, baptizing them in U.S. Christians spend more than Why am I here? “This is a question I often ask David and Debby do, too. But, like $2 billion a year supporting over- myself amid the challenges of youth work and working more than 100 other George Fox the name seas missions. Although there is no with other cultures. But as I read the book The City of alumni who work as full-time cross- universally accepted definition of Joy, about a missionary in Calcutta, India, I am struck by cultural missionaries, the Thomases of the Father who qualifies as a missionary, one this thought: I am not here for the youth. I am not here have responded to a spiritual call. and of the Son and source — World Vision Interna- for the Dominicans. I’m not here for the Salvation Army. I At age 16, Debby (’94) saw pho- tional’s Mission Handbook — lists am here because I want to love Jesus unconditionally. tos of starving Rwandan children of the Holy Spirit, the number of Protestant mission- And, through learning to love Him in this way, I remain presented by a missionary visiting and teaching aries working in cross-cultural here for all those other reasons, despite the challenges.” her church. Immediately, she aspired missions at 138,492. Of those, Impact of technology: “E-mail is absolutely a god- to become a missionary teacher, jet- them to obey 64,378 are Americans. send for missionaries. It gives us great contact with tisoning plans for an engineering “Not all missionaries are evan- friends and family back home. In my particular job, it has everything I have career. She expected to forgo mar- gelists, but all contribute to evan- been wonderful for helping me find and ask for riage as well. commanded you. gelism,” says Stansell. “Maybe resources for the youth work.” Exotic illnesses: I had dengue fever. (If you’ve read “I thought, ‘How am I going to And surely that includes everyone: missionary find a guy who wants to go off to pilots, relief workers, missionary John Grisham’s description in The Testament, he’s not I am with you always, too far off the mark.) Often confused with malaria, Africa?” she says.