The Winter 2015 Growing ExcellenceWITH P RESIDENT’S P ERS P ECTIVE G REETIN G S to alumni and friends of Washington Adventist University, and welcome to another issue of The Gateway! This issue documents the many ways our faculty and staff are continuing the rich tradition of excellence in providing the tools and resources to enable our valued students to launch successful careers. Our goal is to continue to connect with you to share how we are preparing students to be critical thinkers and learners who are able to adapt and prosper in their careers, and also to model the life and teachings of Jesus to the world. We are committed to the Luke 2:52 development of our students. Our satisfaction comes from hearing our graduates say that Washington F EATURES Adventist University played a major role in helping them acquire wisdom, and develop their relationship with God and people. 14 School of Graduate and Professional Studies Celebrates 30th Anniversary We are continuing to implement Vision 2020—Growing with Excellence. Vision 2020 is an initiative to Dr. Gurubatham’s faith and determination paved a road that has grow Washington Adventist University with excellence to become a thriving and distinctive institution of provided a pathway to success for working professionals and higher education. Growing with excellence will require a university community that is synchronized and students across the nation. aligned around a committed vision to produce graduates who bring competence and moral leadership to their communities throughout the world. Moving forward together will help this great institution emerge as a 16 Honors Program Celebrates premier private Christian university that engages minds and transforms lives. Together, we will continue to 10th Anniversary Alumni share the significance of the Honors Program implement best practices under the six institutional pillars of excellence: Quality, People, Finance, Growth, and how it enriched their experience. Service and Community. We hope reading this issue of The Gateway has an effect on your thinking and response to help us 18 Putting on the Ritz Celebrating the Second Annual continue the mission of Christian education in the nation’s capital. Preparing students for service to Visionaries Gala. humanity and for lifelong learning is a value that will produce rewarding outcomes. Alumni, faculty, staff and friends of Washington Adventist University: On behalf of our students, thank you for your prayers, contributions and long-term commitment to the mission and vision of this University. Thank you for helping us fund scholars, facilities and innovations. Sincerely, WEYMOUTH SPENCE , E D.D. P RESIDENT The GatewayWinter 2015 14 16 20 F EATURES D EPARTMENTS 2 WAU Today 14 School of Graduate and Professional Studies Celebrates 30th Anniversary 20 In Memoriam Dr. Gurubatham’s faith and determination paved a road that has 22 Alumni News provided a pathway to success for working professionals and students across the nation. 24 Advancement 26 Gifts 16 Honors Program Celebrates 10th Anniversary Alumni share the significance of the Honors Program and how it enriched their experience. Your Gateway to the Web WAU.EDU 18 Putting on the Ritz Celebrating the Second Annual Visionaries Gala. Campus updates, sports, news and more President: Photographers: Visit Us Online at: Weymouth Spence, Ed.D. Randolph Robin ’11 wau.edu Ross Patterson ’14 Interim Director for Corporate Follow us on Twitter @WashAdventistU and Communications: Design: Instagram @waushockwave Angie Crews, B.A. ’07 Dever Designs, Inc. Like us on Facebook Director for Alumni Relations: Printer: facebook.com/WashingtonAdventistUniversity Ellie Barker, B.A., M.P.A. ’08 Cavanaugh Press, Inc., Baltimore, MD Watch our videos Editor: About the Cover: wau.edu/washington-adventist-university-videos Angie Crews, B.A. ’07 Undergraduate and graduate alumni Tyson Shaw The Gateway Magazine is published two times a (’08), Kelly Wiedemann (’08), Timothy Hatfield Contributing Editors: year by the Office of Corporate Communications, (’14), Shawn Fordham (’14) and Rebecca Kabba Ellie Barker, B.A., M.P.A. ’08 Washington Adventist University, 7600 Flower (’08 and ’10). Cover image by Randolph Robin (’11). Ruth Jorge, B.A. Ave., Takoma Park, MD 20912. Senior Staff Writer: Letters and photos to the editor are welcome and Donna Bigler, B.S. may be considered for publication. Send to Angie Crews at [email protected]. WAU Today O Campus Baptisms 7 Reflect Spiritual Awakenings total of 70 students each evening at 7 p.m. to wor- Spirit fell upon the campus were baptized this ship and to hear guest speaker and touched hearts in ways A year at Washington Pastor Myron Edmonds, only God can do,” said WAU Adventist University. Fifty- senior pastor from Glenville Chaplain Regina Johnson. “Say- three of the baptisms took Seventh-day Adventist Church ing God is good would be an place at the second Annual in Cleveland, Ohio. He spoke to understatement. He never fails Campus Revival, which was the revival theme, “I’m Weak,” to exceed my expectations.” held in the spring with a based on 2 Corinthians 12:9, “To me, the revival confirmed everything about my spiritual life that I was afraid to acknowl- edge,” said graduating senior “Saying God is good would be an understatement. Shaniel Francis, who was among those baptized. “I real- He never fails to exceed my expectations.” ized the importance of starting over spiritually.” week of worship and a call to “My grace is sufficient for you, Tyrus Fleetwood, a freshman baptism. for my power is made perfect in who was baptized, said, “The During the revival, hun- weakness.” revival gave me a chance to sit dreds of students, faculty and “We had about 14 people back and take the word of God, staff, and visitors from nearby who planned to participate in and look at what I was doing churches filled the outdoor tent the baptism, and then the Holy wrong in my life. It led me to 2 ■ W ASHIN G TON A DVENTIST U NIVERSITY First SDA University to Present the Prestigious Sullivan Award his year, for the first “The WAU community is in Oxford, Miss. The Sullivan time, Washington excited to pause and recognize Foundation board of direc- T Adventist University outstanding members of our tors reviews applications from presented the prestigious Sul- community,” said Dr. Ralph eligible institutions interested in livan awards to two students Johnson, dean of the WAU participating in the awards pre- in recognition of their demon- Betty Howard Center for Stu- sentations, visits the campuses strated passion for commu- dent Success. and approves participation in nity service. Nikole Donovan, Since 1890, the highly the awards program based on who graduated this spring prized Sullivan awards have merit. Participating institutions with a B.S. in general stud- been presented on the cam- may present the awards to ies with special emphasis puses of colleges and univer- graduating seniors, alumni or in social science and social sities across the American community members who meet work, received the Algernon South. These institutions all the award criteria. Notable past Sydney Sullivan Award at the reflect the interests of promi- award recipients include Elea- Academic Awards Chapel on nent lawyer, businessman nor Roosevelt and Supreme April 23 at Sligo Seventh-day and philanthropist Algernon Court Justice Lewis Powell. Adventist Church. Louise Sydney Sullivan and his wife, Attending WAU’s first Sul- Griffin, a student in the School Mary Mildred Sullivan, to edu- livan awards presentations this of Graduate and Professional cate and honor deserving stu- year was Algernon Sydney Studies (SGPS) who is earning dents. The awards are named Sullivan Foundation President her master’s degree in health- for the Sullivans to honor their Stephan L. McDavid, Esq. The care administration, received lives of service. awards themselves are bronze the Mary Mildred Sullivan There are currently 61 col- medallions, each accompanied Award at the SGPS Academic leges and universities present- by a framed certificate and a Awards Program that same ing Sullivan awards, facili- biography of either Algernon afternoon in the Morrison Hall tated by the Algernon Sydney Sydney Sullivan or Mary Mil- Chapel on campus. Sullivan Foundation, based dred Sullivan. surrender my life to him. It also showed me how God can really work, and how strong the Holy Spirit moves throughout people.” Participants agreed that the revival came at the perfect time. Vincent Wilson, a junior religion student, said, “I saw the baptism of the Holy Spirit, literally!” Seventeen additional stu- dents who could not attend the revival were baptized on April 26 during a Sabbath service. “It was as if the students saw the train leaving, and they were running so they wouldn’t get left behind,” said Johnson. “I’m excited beyond words that the students are making their deci- sions together as a campus family,” said Johnson. wau.edu ■ W INTER 2015 ■ 3 WAU Today Olive Hemmings Publishes New Book AU Religion professor other New Testament courses STEM Grant Provides Academic Support for Students Olive J. Hemmings, at WAU, and is a commissioned W Ph.D., conceived the minister who preaches locally, new STEM U program to topic of her recently published nationally and internationally. A enhance the academic book, Sacred Texts and Social Hemmings is passionate about success of students majoring in Conflict: the Bible and the Debate her work, and she brings to her biology, biochemistry, chem- Over Women’s Ordination in the teachings the rich cultural and istry, computer science and Seventh-day Adventist Church, historical contexts of Biblical text mathematics was launched this during her first year of college at that reflect a variety of social year by Dr. Melinda Villanueva Northern Caribbean University in struggles, including understand- of the biology department. Jamaica. As a woman studying ing and engaging the divine.