THE MCMURRY UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI & FRIENDS SPRING2014 THE 12TH PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION Dr. Sandra S. Harper FROMTHEBOARDPRESIDENT SPRING2014 A PUBLICATION OF MCMURRY UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT Alumni and Friends, Dr. Sandra S. Harper VICE PRESIDENT FOR ftentimes it is an unenviable task to embark disciplined and well- ACADEMIC AFFAIRS Dr. Paul Fabrizio upon the search for a new leader. In the orchestrated assessment VICE PRESIDENT FOR summer of 2013, the Board of Trustees process revealed that Dr. FINANCIAL AFFAIRS Omet with just such a situation upon the retirement Harper stood above the Lisa Williams of President Dr. John Russell. Embarking upon a rest. VICE PRESIDENT FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT momentous undertaking such as this for my alma She fully appreciates Debra Hulse ’80 mater, both personally and as Chairman of the Board, the weight of the VICE PRESIDENT FOR INFORMATION could not have ended more favorably. challenges facing higher & SUPPORT SERVICES As we celebrate the installation of Dr. Sandra S. education. She believes in Brad Poorman Harper as the 12th president of McMurry University, culture and leadership as core to overcoming obstacles DEAN OF STUDENTS I can truly say today we are blessed with the very best and positioning teams for success. She appreciates Vanessa Roberts Bryan from a vast collection of highly-qualified candidates the balance of fiscal responsibility while investing in DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS Sam Ferguson from across the country. the future of our community, most importantly our EDITORIAL OFFICE The positive energy and sense of urgency exhibited students. PUBLISHER by your Board of Trustees and the Search Committee As a former professor and administrator at Daniel Manson led by Dr. Weldon Crowley ’57, which included alumni, McMurry, Dr. Harper knows the strengths of our EDITOR-IN-CHIEF members of the cabinet and faculty, was truly inspiring. institution, our heritage and our passions. She knows Gary Ellison The level of diligence, teamwork and professionalism us, our culture and our community. She has returned DESIGN EDITOR Katy Headrick ‘17 escorts Weeze Le’ann Ardoyno Daniel ’38, one of McMurry’s oldest demonstrated by these stakeholders revealed home. inthisissue living graduates, into Radford unsurpassed devotion to McMurry at a time when it Dr. Sandra Harper is already putting her imprint on DESIGNER Auditorium for the Presidential Sheila Kitts ’01 Inauguration. was needed. this wonderful institution that she knows so well. She Promoting Peace to PHOTOGRAPHERS DEPARTMENTS Every member of the McMurry community brings passion, inspiration and resolve to the position Le’ann Ardoyno 6 Others around the World: should take great comfort and pride in the fact that an of President. Dr. Harper is someone I am extremely Dave Beyer A Passion to Help 2 Around Campus Doug Hodel 30 Athletics extremely large number of highly-qualified applicants proud to know and our appreciation of her is certain to Sheila Kitts ’01 Shannon Sedgwick Davis ’96 has devoted her Gary Rhodes 32 Alumni and Friends Corner were profoundly attracted to and passionately vying grow as the years go by and McMurry University stands life to helping people across the world. for the chance to make a difference at McMurry. A even prouder still. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS 34 Class Notes Dave Beyer 36 Friends We’ll Miss Suzann Couts Gary Ellison Relationships & Learning: Loretta Fulton Dr. Harper’s Early Years Katherine Manson 10 CHUCK FALLON ‘85 at McMurry PRESIDENT, BOARD OF TRUSTEES 1 McMurry University SOCIAL.MCM.EDU #938 Dr. Sandra S. Harper left a lasting legacy on Abilene, Texas 79697 those students she taught from 1985-1995. 325-793-4610 mcm.edu [email protected] The Inauguration of THE MESSENGER is published by McMurry Dr. Sandra S. Harper University. ©2014 McMurry University. 14 The views and opinions presented in this publication are not necessarily those of the editors or the official policies of the University. Portraits of TO UPDATE YOUR ADDRESS: 325-793-4750 Successful Alumnae [email protected] 22 McMurry graduates build many paths to success. MCMURRY UNIVERSITY / mcm.edu 1 AROUNDCAMPUS AROUNDCAMPUS Board of Trustees Achieve LeMasters Presents Talk Knox-Bennett Writers Series 100% Donor Participation Under the auspices of the Faculty The McMurry Knox-Bennett Writers For the second year in a row, the Colloquium Series of the School of Series presented nationally acclaimed McMurry Board of Trustees has Social Sciences and Religion, Dr. Philip writer Peter Turchi on March 27-28. Mr. achieved 100% participation in giving LeMasters gave a talk Tuesday, March Turchi, a professor of creative writing to the McMurry Fund. This year, total 25, based on the paper he presented at program at the University of Houston, Board giving achieved $148,166, the national meeting of the Society of presented a lecture based on his new exceeding the goal of $120,000 Christian Ethics entitled “Philanthropia in book, A Muse and A Maze: Writing as by 23%. In addressing the board, Liturgy and Life: The Anaphora of Basil the Puzzle, Mystery, and Magic in the foyer of outgoing Chairman Chuck Fallon Great and Eastern Orthodox Social Ethics." the Ryan Fine Arts Building. stated “It is with a sincerely deep sense of pride that I can now share with you the results of our McMurry Annual Fund Century Plus Campaign for this fiscal year. I cannot begin to express the joy this brings and how blessed I am to be associated with this Board of Trustees. Thank you all so very much for your commitments to Chris Veail demonstrates the “Flying Push-up” for KXVA sports reporter Alex Sims during a recent interview. Fall 2013 Commencement McMurry and each other. You all have Awards 53 Degrees given of yourselves to this exceptional institution and have committed to a When Push (up) Comes to Shove The McMurry Alumni Association purpose which is coming at a most Sophomore Chris Veail ’16, a member of the War Hawks track and field team added 53 new members to its ranks important time in our rich history.” and a product of Abilene High School, got a impulse that he wanted to as they walked across the stage to attempt to do the highest “Flying Push-up” ever recorded. Today, Veail is the receive their degrees during the Fall world record-holder in that category. On January 10, Veail propelled himself 2013 Commencement in Radford 4’6” to eclipse the previous “Flying Push-up” record by an inch. Four days later, Auditorium. Dr. Philip LeMasters, Veail received an email confirmation from the organization RecordSetter, that Dean of the School of Social Sciences Erika Larson ’14 and Jaclyn Burch his effort was accepted as a new world record in the event. A “Flying Push- and Religion, Director of the Honors up” is done with the competitor in a typical push-up position on the floor, Program and a Professor of Religion Education Names Top surrounded by four pillars at an equal height at each “corner” of his body. The at McMurry University, was the object is to explode upward out of the push-up position, catch your hands and featured speaker. Dr. LeMasters joined Student Teachers Students Win feet at the top of each pillar and then “push” yourself upward into a completed the University’s faculty in 1995 after The McMurry School of Education is proud to announce the Student Teachers of push-up position on top of the pillars. teaching briefly at both Wake Forest the Year for 2013-14. The Outstanding Elementary Student Teacher of the Year is Prestigious Award University and Northeast Missouri Erika Larson ‘14 and the Secondary Student Teacher of the Year is Jaclyn Burch. McMurry delegates, representing State University. The recipient of the Larson has been actively engaged in volunteering in the community and at St. Timor-Leste at the 2014 National Model Gordon R. and Lola J. Bennett Award for John’s Episcopal School. She is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, Kappa Delta Pi and UN conference in NYC, won Honorable Art Students Works Accepted into Competitions Outstanding Teaching, Leadership, and Alpha Chi honor societies. She recently represented the School of Education at Mention! This award is extremely Several art students received awards in the annual Intercollegiate Art Competition, Service in 2001, he has also held the the Women’s Leadership Conference held on the McMurry campus. prestigious, as 196 delegations from a juried exhibit of artwork by students from Abilene colleges and universities. Eric Turner Distinguished Chair in Religion. She has been named to the Dean’s Honor Roll and the Dean’s List each semester every country and 3 NGO’s participated. Britt ’14 a senior studio art major graduated in December, won Best of Show with The School of Arts & Letters awarded during the time she has been at McMurry University. She will receive her Kudos to: from left to right, (seated) a piece about President John F. Kennedy and Christian Palmer ‘14, a senior double seven degrees; the School of Business Bachelor of Science degree in May. Burch is a 2011 graduate from California State Douglas Alldredge ‘15, Salome Block major in studio art and theater from Abilene, won first prize in 3-D with his ceramic awarded 16 degrees; the School of University of Northridge and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Art Education. She is ‘15, Evelyn Gonzalez ‘16, Laetitia Doria torso. Keith Waggoner ‘15, a junior English major from Abilene, won third place Education awarded 12 degrees; the enrolled in the FasTrack program at McMurry University and is currently student ‘15, Ashleigh Hoover ‘14, (standing) in photography. Rebecca Schneller ‘15, a studio art major from Abilene, Austin School of Natural and Computational teaching and completing Texas certification.She will be certified to teach EC-12 Matthew Brown ‘16, Joshua Brooks ‘15 Chapman ’14, a studio art major from Hawley, and Taylor Cass ‘15, a studio art major Sciences awarded four degrees; and the Art and completed her certification requirements in May.