2 THE WHOLE PICTURE Fall 2015 ORAL ROBERTS UNIVERSITY 3 TO THE UTTERMOST BOUNDS OF THE EARTH Reid Andrews of ORU’s Team Dominican Republic entertains a child as he waits for his parents at a medical clinic. This summer, Team Dominican Republic set up medical clinics in the city of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Through these clinics, the team built relationships with locals and shared the gospel in a powerful way. (Read more on page 8) 4 CONNECTION POINTS TABLE OF CONTENTS VOL. 27, NO. 2 ATHLETICS 28 Men’s Tennis Team 29 More Than a Game 30 Coach Bernis Duke 32 Men’s Basketball Missions 33 ORU Baseball 34 Vicky McIntyre 35 Runner Sonwabiso Skhosana 16 Celebrating ORU’s History 36 50th Anniversary Celebration Preview 38 Lifetime Global Achievement Awards THE WHOLE PICTURE CONNECTION POINTS 2 To the Uttermost 6 Letter from the President Bounds of the Earth 8 Lives Changed Around the Globe 11 Amy McIntosh Tribute 12 Ms. Pansy Wallace 13 Kari Jobe Interview 14 Jerusalem 2015 ALUMNI NEWS 44 50th Anniversary Campaign 49 Alumni Through the Years 54 Alumni Voice TABLE OF CONTENTS VOL. 27, NO. 2 6 CONNECTION POINTS Fall 2015 ORU’S 50TH ABOVE Dr. William M. Wilson and First Lady Lisa ANNIVERSARY: Wilson gather with students on Move-In Day. A YEAR OF seven consecutive years of enrollment growth with our largest increase yet this fall. We have recently adopted an ambitious, comprehensive five-year plan for the University that includes JUBILEE strategies to help several thousand new students experience ORU’s unique Whole Person Education. We are growing again, cripture is filled with instructions for feasts and building again and dreaming again! moments of commemoration. Divinely instituted At this 50 year mark we are still committed to the times of celebration were important to the people values that have made ORU great. Whole Person Education, of God as they remembered their blessings and instructional excellence, the work of the Holy Spirit, the recommitted to their mission. One unique celebration took place authority of God’s word, global connectivity and a supportive, everyS 50th year (Leviticus 25). Twice every century, debts were loving, joyful campus that has been rated one of the friendliest forgiven, slaves were set free and the Earth itself was allowed to in America by colleges.niche.com. Yes, we are still committed rest. Jubilee was a time of restoration, renewal, release and huge to the Whole Person – body, mind and spirit. Yes, we still have celebration! Oral Roberts University has an intense spiritual environment marked entered our 50th year since the first classes EVERY ERA by passionate worship, consistent prayer began in September 1965, meaning that and the power of the spoken word. Yes, this is our first-ever time of Jubilee! AT ORU HAS we are still excelling in Division I athletics What began as a directive from God in BROUGHT with three NCAA Champions, 80 NCAA the heart of our founder about students who UNIQUE Tournament appearances and 145 would hear God’s voice, has now formed Conference Championships. Yes, we still one of the premier Spirit-empowered CHALLENGES have a world-class faculty who not only universities in the world. People have AND BLESSINGS teach at the highest levels, but also serve traveled from around the globe to attend FROM GOD. as mentors and examples of Spirit-filled this University and the results have been amazing. ORU alumni Christianity. Yes, we are still a community of honor at ORU now serve in 102 nations with excellence and significant impact. with every student, faculty and staff member committing to our We celebrate each of them during this special year. honor code and a lifestyle of integrity. Every era at ORU has brought unique challenges and ORU now has over 70 undergraduate and 16 graduate blessings from God. Miracles have consistently occurred during degree programs. Our students come from every state in the U.S., these 50 years that have sustained and grown the University. The including Puerto Rico, and from 85 nations around the world. last seven years at ORU have been especially miraculous. We are We are presently committed to increasing our global impact thankful that, during these seven years, we have witnessed over through every means available. We have recently opened an $100 million in campus improvements, an eradication of all debt, International Center on campus that is overflowing with record an operating budget in the black (two consecutive years) and numbers of international students. Our new Global Learning Fall 2015 ORAL ROBERTS UNIVERSITY 7 Center will house 11 new classroom spaces, new offices, a new video recording studio, a 700 seat performance hall and a state- of-the-art virtual reality space. This new complex will reclaim EXCELLENCE MAGAZINE ORU’s place as a university committed to using the best of today’s technology while educating a new generation. Oral Roberts University Thousands of people have sacrificed over these last 50 7777 South Lewis Avenue years to make ORU the great university it is today. It would Tulsa, OK 74171 be impossible to thank all of them by name, though I would 918.495.6161 www.oru.edu certainly like to if possible. However, our 50th anniversary committee has selected 50 outstanding individuals whose service, life and contributions to the world have made a significant impact during our first half-century. Thank President you for joining with us in honoring them for their lifetime Dr. William M. Wilson achievements. They represent thousands of others who have Publisher Vice President of Communications and Marketing helped carry the burning torch of Spirit-empowered, Whole Ossie Mills Person Education to the world. Editors Finally, as we celebrate this Jubilee year at ORU you may Danielle Parker-Stoltz ‘07 notice a twinkle in my eye and an excitement in my voice. I am Carissa Bratschun ‘09 excited about all God has done at ORU over the last 50 years, Contributors/Writers but I am even more excited about what I see on the horizon. Jordan Buie ’16, Chris Busch ’72, Our 21st century world is more prepared now for ORU’s work Debbie (Titus) George ’77, Sierra Quant ’15 than they were 50 years ago. Doors are opening to us on every Design/Graphics continent! As thrilled as I am about the possibilities before Hampton Creative, Amanda King ‘07 us, my greatest excitement comes from what I see in ORU’s Photos/Images present student body. This is the greatest group of students Mark Moore, ORU Athletic Media Relations, in the history of ORU, and they will change the world for ORU Missions and Outreach Jesus Christ. They are brilliant, good-looking, well spoken, authentically Christian and technologically proficient. I am honored to serve them in this office and know that their work ORU Excellence Magazine is published and distributed will exceed the work of Oral Roberts, as well as the work of all three times a year to friends and alumni by the of us who have preceded them. They will be leaders in every ORU Office of University Relations and Communications. person’s world and they will take God’s healing power to the Direct Inquiries To: uttermost bounds of the Earth. ORU Office of University Relations and Communications [email protected] 50 years of miraculous blessings, a student body that is 918.495.7337 amazing and a future that is filled with God-sized possibilities. Let’s Celebrate. It’s ORU’s year of Jubilee! Mission Statement The purpose of ORU Excellence Magazine is to share university news and information with friends and alumni of ORU, highlight the value of Whole Person Education and demonstrate that the mission of ORU is being carried out around the world. Office of Development Toll-free: 800.822.8203 Office: 918.495.7336 [email protected] Office of Alumni Relations Office: 918.495.6610 [email protected] alumni.oru.edu @OralRobertsU OralRobertsUniversity @ORUAlumni ORUAlumni DR. WILLIAM M. WILSON PRESIDENT 8 CONNECTION POINTS s soon as finals were completed, graduation LIVES ended and the residence halls cleared out, more CHANGED than 450 ORU students packed their Abags to travel to 18 countries around the globe. With their passports in AROUND ABOVE A member of Team Guatemala works with hand and hearts ready to serve, these schoolchildren. students traveled thousands of miles THE GLOBE to share the message of hope and love “My favorite part of the Japan of Christ. trip was meeting all the people and ORU MISSIONS SEES ANOTHER The focus and purpose of the trips the relationships that were built,” RECORD-BREAKING YEAR varied for each team depending on said Japan team member Reni Ajayi. the need of the country where they “I believe sometimes it gets hard and JORDAN BUIE ’16 journeyed. Students visited different rough. It may even seem like no one is cities, towns and villages during the two coming to know Christ, so just being to five week trips. there allows for us to encourage the Team Guatemala spent a month Christians there and give them hope.” participating in children’s ministry, The communications, arts and discipleship training and community media department sent their first development. They installed 50 water departmental missions team to filters as a development project, which Zimbabwe. The theater team used skits will provide clean water to 50 families and a production called “The Land of for the next 30 to 40 years. Dreams” to share God’s love to local “We can preach the Gospel, but children. They went to orphanages and when you live out the Gospel, families high schools to build relationships and who have been plagued by social minister to the children and students.