The Echo: May 11, 2007

Features: Students discuss the Christian response to homosexuality A&E: Editor critiques "Spider-Man 3" Opinions: Student believes football team receives too HE CHO much funding TMAY 11, 2007 ET AYLOR U NIVERSI T Y SINCE 1915 - VOLUME 94, NO. 27 Alumna achieves Pannell to speak at Saturday's Ivanhoe's goal commencement Taylor Trustee Emeritus William E. Pannell, the first black American on the board of trustees at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif., will address Taylor’s commencement audience May 19. Excerpts follow from an interview with Pannell, who now serves as professor of preaching and special assistant to the president at Fuller. Can you tell me a little bit about how your relationship with Taylor started? I don’t know about a relationship. Let’s talk about an aware- ness ... of Taylor, Upland, which was the only Taylor that there was in my early days, was when I was at Fort Wayne Bible College. I was a student there … My real acquaintanceship came, however, when [President Emeritus Jay] Kesler became president, and I was presiding over the board of trustees at Youth for Christ … When Kesler announced that this is what he wanted to do, to leave YFC and go to Taylor as the president … we laid our hands on the brother and through our tears blessed him … Later on … I got exposed to some leadership from Taylor … I’d never been to Taylor, and so one of the execs [with the Consortium of Christian Colleges and Universities] said, “Well, we’ve got to work on that ...” I think in the next two years or so, I got invited to join the board. Why did you accept the invitation this year to speak at Tay- lor’s commencement? … Photo by Ellen Koch Taylor alumna Jessica Beck shows off her stamp sheet displaying the numbers of the 100 Ivanhoe's shakes she consumed. Beck began This will not be the first [commencement speech I’ve giv- eating shakes four years ago as a freshman and offically entered the Ivanhoe's 100-Club after she finished her last shake on Wednesday. en], but this might be the best one because I’m coming home, BY MEGAN BAIRD Club plaque. Beck’s 100 Club journey ments to Ivanhoe’s, and the in a way. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF “Even though I warned began Welcome Weekend restaurant decided to adopt I began my post-high school academic work there at Ft. It took her four years, but them ahead of time that her freshman year with the the club. Wayne, and … I was part of that generation of board mem- January 2007 Taylor gradu- it was going to be my last Wheels Wheels shake. “I am so proud of Jessica,” bers that decided to acquire that campus as part of Taylor ate Jessica Beck has reached shake, they still weren’t ex- “I think I was just trying senior Elizabeth Kuhns said. University … her sticky-sweet goal. cited at all and still didn’t to make a statement, because “She has worked so hard She is now a member of have my size of T-shirt,” I thought I was a cool fresh- over the past four years to What is the main message that you hope graduates hear in the Ivanhoe’s 100 Club. Beck said. “So I had to insist man,” she said. “It’s just one get all these shakes [eaten] ... your address? Beck ended her ca- that they order a T-shirt that of those things that once you I’m just proud to call her my loric journey Wednesday fit me, since I spent so much get so far, you kind of have to friend.” (Laughing) Oh, I’m working on it. If you have any ideas, night with the Almond money in their restaurant.” finish it.” Beck had some advice for send them to me ... Fudge shake. Beck estimates she spent Her favorite shakes includ- those beginning their 100 If I live until June, I’ll be 78, so I come from a different time “Besides the fact that it was around $300 on her ed the Trojan 2, the Trojan 3 Club journey. and place than you guys do, and I try to listen in as a peer. I pretty runny, it tasted good. mini shakes. and the Grasshopper. She “It’s a pretty big commit- try to listen to your approach to your culture as you reflect it Really it wasn’t that different Ivanhoe’s General Man- disliked shakes with nuts. ment, so make sure you take and as you challenge it … from all the other shakes,” ager Mark Souers said Beck is the 29th person to some time to pray about it she said. “I was kind of ex- he will order a T-shirt in achieve 100 Club status. A beforehand,” she said. “Just Do you anticipate drawing on some of your experience in cited, but it didn’t seem like Beck’s size. 1970s Taylor student created make sure that you don’t racial reconciliation when you speak to us? that big of a deal.” “We’re thrilled to death,” the 100 Club after he and a have any allergies, and do it To celebrate inductions Souers said about Beck’s ac- friend finished 100 shakes. with integrity. Don’t let other I’m not sure about that. I probably will flirt with some of into the club, Ivanhoe’s gives complishment. “We like it They sent a picture of them- people put stamps on your that. I have over the years come to see that reconciliation is new members a T-shirt and every time we have to put a selves holding a plaque card, and don’t share shakes. not an option for the Christian movement. It’s how you de- puts their names on the 100 new name up.” declaring their accomplish- Do it all by yourself.” fine the ministry, and so this is not an option, any more than justice is an option … That’s how I respond to the symbol of that towel at the Education students create mock classrooms end of the line. It translates into servanthood, to be sure, but BY LAUREN FREE matic play,” sophomore Kel- “We had apple tasting, fun will put in a total of 30 to 40 that servanthood is about reconciliation. It’s about justice. It’s CONTRIBUTOR ley Jo Wilson said. songs, acting like you were hours on the presentation. about waging peace in the earth. That’s kind of where I’m On select nights near the Each presentation group an apple tree, apple stamp- Despite the long hours coming from most of the time when you’ll hear me speak … end of this semester, the Stu- chose a theme to carry ing and even a surprise visit and large amounts of ef- What I’m going to try to attempt at commencement, how- art Room has undergone a throughout all areas of from Johnny Appleseed him- fort exerted by the students, ever, is something of a more relaxed, reflective motif – reflec- transformation. Instead of the project. self.” many appear thankful for tions on a journey, I call it … I’m going to talk a little bit about neat rows of red chairs on “[My group] did the apple Wilson’s group presented the experience. my own pilgrimage with potential possible implications for bland carpeting, visitors find orchard. We created a huge a rainforest theme. They “This project stretched me the students … There are a lot of challenges with that which I themselves in an apple or- tree in the middle of the covered the room with to think in an open- ended think are very contemporary. It might be my story, but it’s not chard, a rainforest or a min- room, where we had people plants, trees, animals and a way so ... students came up mine alone, and there’s continuity here … iature version of the land- sit inside during one of the paper river. with their own thoughts and scape of the United States. stations,” junior Natalie According to Tyner, if the responses instead of merely You’ve said that you’re part of that journey toward justice Elementary education Brewer said of her group. project is done well, students copying mine,” Wilson said. and reconciliation. What do you feel most qualifies you to majors in Professor Cyn- speak and write on that issue? thia Tyner’s Introduction to Early Childhood Programs I suppose that’s how I’ve lived most of my life ... whether class have spent hours in the writing or preaching or going into pastoral work or standing Stuart Room attending and with some folks that were out on the street … preparing 90-minute group Growing up during the civil rights era, it’s pretty hard for presentations worth nearly an African-American to be unmoved by that, and that’s what half of their overall grade. I’ve been talking about. The class teaches primarily sophomore elementary edu- What do you think is the biggest issue now … along the cation majors how to teach lines of this justice and reconciliation that should affect the kindergarten through third lives of Taylor’s graduates today? grade students. Tyner said students must The evangelical movement, particularly the part of it that create lessons appropriate for we represent at Taylor, is particularly vulnerable to the pro- each childs age, personality, paganda and the seductions from the right of the particular background and ethnicity. spectrum, and other schools are vulnerable to the same chal- “Your group literally cre- lenge from the left.

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