MICHELE BACHMANN HOMECOMING 2014 SUMMER MISSIONS CONGRESSWOMAN CHALLENGES YOU SPOKE, WE LISTENED— THREE HUNDRED STUDENTS, FIVE Fall 2014 ORAL ROBERTS UNIVERSITY 1 STUDENTS TO DREAM BIG WHAT’S NEW THIS YEAR CONTINENTS, ONE MESSAGE FALL 2014 FALL DAVE ELAND EXCELLENCE MAGAZINE 1ST FRESHMAN * CLASS REBECCA GUAJARDO * 50TH FRESHMAN CLASS FROM ORAL ROBERTS UNIVERSITY CELEBRATES FIFTIETH FRESHMAN CLASS 2 THE WHOLE PICTURE WELCOME TO CHAPEL ... Members of ORU’s fi rst incoming class and faculty join hands in prayer at a chapel service during the 1965- 66 school year. After ORU was chartered in 1963, the university welcomed 300 students to the campus in the fall of 1965. Fall 2014 ORAL ROBERTS UNIVERSITY 3 PHOTO CREDIT ORU Media Relations 4 SECTION NAME JOIN US IN JERUSALEM. Make history and help shape the future of the Spirit- empowered movement! Join with leaders, scholars and next-generation voices for the once- in-a-lifetime events. Scheduled speakers include: Heath Adamson Doug Beacham Reinhard Bonnke Jürgen Bühler Omar Cabreara Jr. Christine Cane Raniero Ishmael Charles Cantalamessa Simon Peter Faytene Prince Jack Hayford Marilyn Hickey Wayne Hilsden Rob Hoskins Cindy Jacobs Emaiu Grasseschi Guneratnam Daniel Kolenda Lawrence Khong Young Hoon Lee Ron Luce Chadwick Mohan Igor Nikitin Niko Opoku Onyinah Njotorahardjo Samuel Robert Stearns Greg Surratt David Wells Mark Williams Billy Wilson Scott Wilson George Wood Rodriguez Jr. JERUSALEM2015.COM Gold Partner: Empowered 21 is a Kingdom initiative facilitated by Oral Roberts University 7777 South Lewis Avenue, Tulsa Oklahoma 74171 Fall 2014 ORAL ROBERTS UNIVERSITY 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXCELLENCE MAGAZINE Oral Roberts University 7777 South Lewis Avenue Tulsa, OK 74171 918.495.6161 www.oru.edu THE WHOLE THE HOLY LAND PICTURE FEATURE JOIN US IN JERUSALEM. Make history and help shape the future of the Spirit- 2 ORU Chapel, 1965 22 Introduction empowered movement! Join with leaders, scholars and next-generation voices for the once- President in-a-lifetime events. Scheduled speakers include: Dr. William M. Wilson 23 Alumni Profile: Executive Director for University Relations and Fadi Zoughbi Communications Jeremy C. Burton APR ’06-M.MGT. 24 Alumni Profile: Seth Whitaker Publisher ORU Offi ce of University Relations and Communications 25 Faculty Profile: Editor Brad Young Danielle Parker Stoltz ‘07 Heath Adamson Doug Beacham Reinhard Bonnke Jürgen Bühler Omar Cabreara Jr. Christine Cane Raniero Ishmael Charles CAMPUS UPDATE Cantalamessa Contributors/Writers Carissa Bratschun ‘09, Chris Busch ‘73, McKensie 6 Letter from DONOR ROLL Garber, Debbie Titus George ‘77, Michelle Paulson, Rob the President Walden, Dr. William M. Wilson 26 Alumni, Friends, 8 Michele Bachmann Corporations, Photos/Images Foundations, KSQ Architects, Mark Moore, ORU Athletic Media 10 Athletic Profile: Relations, ORU Missions and Outreach, Shane Bevel Churches & The Balla Sisters Simon Peter Faytene Prince Jack Hayford Marilyn Hickey Wayne Hilsden Rob Hoskins Cindy Jacobs Photography, Corey Lack Pictures Ministries Emaiu Grasseschi Guneratnam 12 Empowered21 14 New Board Chair ORU Excellence Magazine is published and distributed three times a year to friends and alumni by the Rob Hoskins ORU Offi ce of University Relations and Communications. 16 Summer Missions Direct Inquiries To: Recap Daniel Kolenda Lawrence Khong Young Hoon Lee Ron Luce Chadwick Mohan Igor Nikitin Niko Opoku Onyinah ORU Offi ce of University Relations and Communications Njotorahardjo [email protected] 918.495.6264 ALUMNI NEWS 50 Accolades & Obituaries Mission Statement Samuel Robert Stearns Greg Surratt David Wells Mark Williams Billy Wilson Scott Wilson George Wood The purpose of ORU Excellence Magazine is to share Rodriguez Jr. university news and information with friends and alumni HOMECOMING of ORU, highlight the value of whole-person education and demonstrate that the mission of ORU is being car- 2014 th ried out around the world. 18 The 50 Freshman Class 53 November Schedule Offi ce of Development of Events JERUSALEM2015.COM Toll-free: 800.822.8203 20 Green Scholars Offi ce: 918.495.7336 54 Letter from Alumni [email protected] Initiative Board Chair Offi ce of Alumni Relations 21 Campus News Offi ce: 918.495.6610 Gold Partner: [email protected] alumni.oru.edu Empowered 21 is a Kingdom initiative facilitated by Oral Roberts University 7777 South Lewis Avenue, Tulsa Oklahoma 74171 @OralRobertsU OralRobertsUniversity @ORUAlumni ORUAlumni 6 CAMPUS UPDATE he year was 1965. Gas something different. Men dressed in A LETTER was 31 cents a gallon. A suits and ties and ladies in dresses loaf of bread only cost and skirts arrived to a brand new FROM THE T 21 cents. The average campus and a new concept of whole- price of a new car in the person education—mind, body and PRESIDENT United States was about $2,600, and spirit. They were drawn to learn in a family could purchase a new home an environment where they would be for about $13,600. educated in every area of their lives Looking ahead to the It was also in 1965 that the first at Oral Roberts University. future of the Spirit- U.S. combat troops arrived in Viet- Fast forward 50 years. So much has empowered movement in nam, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led changed in our world over the past the 21st century a historic civil rights march in Ala- five decades. Gas is now at least $3 bama from Selma to Montgomery, more expensive than it was in 1965. and the Higher Education Act of 1965 Wars and rumors of war spark as na- was signed into law, providing low- tion continues to rise against nation, interest loans for students seeking to just as Jesus forewarned us in Mat- attend college. thew 24:6. Pressing issues in Ameri- That same year, about 300 students ca have shifted to a downward-spiral- came to Tulsa, Oklahoma seeking ing economy, immigration and health Fall 2014 ORAL ROBERTS UNIVERSITY 7 care as the moral fibers this country tell him to “raise up your students to was built with unravel. hear My voice, to go where My light is FROM THE Here at ORU, this campus, which dim, where My voice is heard small, EDITORIAL DESK only had seven buildings in 1965, has and My healing power is not known, completely transformed. Twenty- even to the uttermost bounds of the You may have noticed that this nine buildings cover the 263-acre earth. Their work will exceed yours, magazine has a new look, as well campus. I have seen photos of Oral and in this I am well pleased.” Roberts walking the farmland that We are still raising up and sending as a new name: ORU Excellence once surrounded ORU 50 years ago. out Spirit-empowered leaders, who Magazine. Over the next few Yet today, Tulsa is a buzzing me- have been equipped with a whole- months, we are working to create tropolis. The university’s dress code person education, into the uttermost a publication that best serves our is much different than it was five de- bounds of the earth. Everywhere I go, alumni and friends of the university. cades ago, ORU now has more than I meet ORU alumni who are fulfilling We would also like to introduce 26,000 graduates the work of the Lord the new editor of ORU Excellence around the world, and and the mission of Magazine, Danielle Stoltz. Stoltz, a the technology avail- “We are still this university. 2007 Mass Media Communications able to our students This fall, we wel- graduate of ORU, serves as the continues to evolve. raising up come our 50th fresh- Director of University Relations. Things have man class, each one and sending During her time with ORU, she was changed drastically in of them called by God our world and on this out Spirit- to be here for such a wing chaplain and also worked campus in the last half empowered a time as this. We for both the ORU Perhileon and The of a century. However, will continue to of- Oracle. despite all that has leaders, who fer this class, and the The mission of ORU Excellence shifted, some things have been students to follow, a Magazine has always been to remain the same. As I equipped whole-person educa- highlight the value of whole-person walk across this cam- tion, where they can education and demonstrate the pus, it is amazing to with a whole- receive world-class mission of ORU being carried out see the young men and academic training around the world. While the design women from all over person in an environment and style of the publication may the United States and that is filled with the education.” change, that commitment remains the world, who are knowledge and power the same. drawn to this univer- of the Holy Spirit. I sity because of the same desire that am confident that they will join the So, what do you think? What do burned in the hearts of those 300 stu- thousands of alumni who are impact- you like? What can we improve? dents 50 years ago. What first drew ing the world for God and continuing Share your feedback with us by people to ORU is what continues to to exceed the work of our founder. emailing Stoltz at [email protected]. draw them today: the Holy Spirit. God has brought us so far in the The foundation of ORU has and past 50 years, and I believe He has will not change. Before building this much more ahead for ORU in the next university, God gave Chancellor Oral half of a century. From the classroom Roberts a specific mandate: “Build to the missions field to graduation, me a university on my authority and our students are world changers, and on the Holy Spirit.” Oral consciously I am just as excited to see what God sought to build ORU in a way that was accomplishes in them over the next pleasing to God and incorporated the five decades.