Lighting Up Our Lives

52 Pages·2014·4.65 MB·English

F a L L 2 0 1 3
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Excellence
Or a L r O b E r t s U N i v E r s i t y
Lighting Up
Our Lives
The Hammer Center and the
Prayer Gardens were alight for
Christmas 2013.
Fall 2013 | EXCELLENCE | 1
iNsidE: Honor roll of Donors, HomeCominG 2014 Preview, anD more!
EXCLN1 NO r a N N
orU celebrated the
inauguration of its
fourth president,
Dr. william “Billy” wilson,
on sept. 20 with a
freworks display at
J. l. Johnson stadium.
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FA L L 2 013
Excellence VOL. 25 NO. 2
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8 12
D E P A R T M E N T S
4 PresiDenTial PersPeCTive
The Eagle has landed.
8 CamPUs CUrrenTs
36 39 GEB America in Moore, OK
WPS becomes Quest
F E A T U R E S Buildings and Grounds
Shipping Out
THe inaUGUraTion of Dr. william
6 “Billy” wilson 13 Honor roll of Donors 2012
The campus community and many distinguished guests
42 THe eli rePorT
celebrated this momentous occasion in September. Won and Done: A fall recap
36 sTill (HamPTon) CreaTive afTer 44 TerssUies GTüeeells DeVore brings great
all THese years energy to the Board of Trustees.
Johnie Hampton and his uber-talented team are creative
for a cause. 46 lifelonG links
Your Voice
Alumni Perceptions Survey
wHo’s afraiD of meDiCal missions? Homecoming 2014 preview
39 School of Medicine grad Dr. Allan Sawyer has learned to Alumni News
practice outside his comfort zone. Obituaries
Fall 2013 | EXCELLENCE | 3
KEy CoNTACTS Presidential P E r s P E C t i v E
Jesse Pisors 96, 05-MA-Ed.
Senior Director
Development and Alumni
Relations
918/495.6610
kili, a female golden eagle, exhibited her impressive
wing span at orU’s Golden eagle chapel.
In refecting on our eagle moment, I think about
our students and alumni who are called to “hear
His voice” and soar like an eagle for God. At times,
though, we hit tough barriers like sickness, job loss,
relationship diffculties, fnancial pressure, confict
with children, or the death of a loved one that knock
us to the ground. Instead of soaring, we are “foor-
ing,” stunned and disoriented. If this describes your
plight, look up: your spiritual trainer, the Holy Spirit,
is on His way to you right now. The same God who
turned what I thought was disaster into a great public
relations moment can turn your situation around and
get you back above the clouds. You can do it. You are
stunned but not fnished. Face the wind, spread your
wings, believe . . . soar! Oh, and don’t forget to join us
for our next Golden Eagle Day!
Making No Little Plans Here,
Dr. william m. wilson
President
after chapel, lewis the bald eagle posed for photos near the Prayer Tower.
Fall 2013 | EXCELLENCE | 5
inauguration 2 0 1 3
Let the wholE
woRlD Know
inauguration ceremony emphasizes OrU’s
commitment to globalization.
but we’re really grateful for the global vision, for the ex-
The inauguration of Dr. william “Billy”
pansion of oRU.”
wilson made one thing perfectly clear: The general overseer of the Church of God, Dr. Mark
globalization will most defnitely be the williams, also serves on the Empowered21 Global Coun-
focus of the new president’s tenure. cil. he described wilson as “a passionate Pentecostal,
Charismatic, Spirit-empowered leader who longs to see
he ceremony began with a “Parade of Nations” as oRU continue the mission for which it was birthed and to
students marched in while carrying the fags of 193 expand that mission around the world.”
T countries. The opening prayer was given by trustee wilson’s inaugural address acknowledged the unique
Dr. David Ramirez, a member of the Empowered21 latin contributions of the oRU presidents who came before
America Cabinet, who spoke of “a new season” at oRU, him, and then made the case for his vision of oRU in the
“a season of a renewed passion to God, to the holy Spirit, next ten years: to take globally focused, Spirit-empow-
and to the world.” ered, whole-person education to the doorstep of every
Dr. Edward o. Blews, Jr., then-president of the Council for inhabited continent — what he calls “the further global-
Christian Colleges and Universities, continued the theme, ization of oRU.”
describing wilson as “a passionate global infuencer” and This initiative, he said, “is designed to align our school
saying, “Today marks a marvelous match made in heav- with 21st-century realities and extend our mission to the
en between a terrifc leader in President wilson and a uttermost bounds of the earth. Forty-eight years ago,
tremendous university in oral Roberts University, for the oRU was a United States university with an outreach to
great beneft of this community and world . . . .” the world. In the 21st century, we must become a global
Video salutations came from church leaders in Austra- university whose main campus happens to be in the cen-
lia, Canada, England, Malaysia, and Sweden. The prayers ter of the United States.”
of investiture, in English, Korean, Spanish, and French, oRU’s new president is committed to equipping gradu-
were ofered up by trustees Rob hoskins, Tessie Güell De- ates “for signifcance wherever God leads them to serve,”
Vore, and Dr. Vinson Synan, along with Dr. yeol Soo Eim he said. And in the months ahead, steps will be taken to
(president, Asia life University), Bishop Anne Gimenez expand global learning opportunities and create a one-of-
(Rock Ministerial Fellowship and Awakening America Al- a-kind, whole-person distance education model. oRU’s
liance cabinet), and Michel ouédraogo (Assemblies of brand of Christian higher education will be made more ac-
God superintendent, Empowered21 Global Council). cessible to emerging nations’ middle class citizens.
Former Alumni Association Board Chair and new trust- So the message on the occasion of Dr. william M. wil-
ee Matt Rearden served on the search committee that son’s inauguration was this: To those living in Mumbai,
selected the new president. he spoke for the “almost Marakesh, Sydney, St. Petersburg, Tegucigalpa, and be-
40,000 alumni,” expressing that “we’re thankful for oRU, yond, OrU is FOr yOU. 
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Fall 2013 | EXCELLENCE | 7
Campus C U r r E N t s
GEB America Goes Straight to the
hEART in Moore
By m i C H e l e r o s s
The tornado that ravaged Moore,
Okla., on May 20 left devastation that
will never be forgotten — and its victims
in need of hope. The Oral Roberts Uni-
versity community responded by making
big plans, working together, and extending
the compassion of Jesus Christ. And more
than 21 million U.S. households were able
to witness it, thanks to a special broadcast
on GEB America.
Jeremy Burton, senior director for Uni-
versity Relations and Communications,
described the project’s genesis as a simple
question that evolved into much more.
“Ossie Mills contacted me to ask how
we could be a blessing in this tragedy that at Crossroads Church in oklahoma City, orU students katelyn Quattlebaum (left) and
katie Herndon sort through clothing donations for tornado victims.
happened to be right in our backyard,
from both a university and a network loaded themselves and their equipment you how much that means to me!’ To this
perspective,” Burton recalled of his dis- into ORU vans and headed to Moore. day he still texts me for prayer.”
cussion with the executive vice president Not knowing what to expect but hop- She continued, “We wanted to show
for University Advancement. “Ossie and ing to get enough content to tell a proper viewers that GEB America is not just a
I met with GEB General Manager Amy story, the team met up with Convoy of regular Christian network. We want to
Calvert not long after that and started Hope leaders and watched things unfold make a difference. It wasn’t just to go re-
brainstorming.” right before their eyes. Students began port or show all the pictures, we wanted to
A plan quickly took shape and re- hauling away debris and ministering to go serve, pray for them . . . love them. We
ceived unanimous support from the Board victims. Burton and Calvert began inter- wanted to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
of Trustees. They reached out to Bobby viewing people whose homes were nothing Even those without faith wanted prayer.”
Parks in ORU Missions to create a student but piles of rubble, and the support crew Burton added, “The students were so
missions team and then put together a started capturing it all on flm. excited to be there and showed God’s love
television crew with production and tech- One personal account that stood out in a very real way. At the same time, we
nical support with the help of Roy Baker of to Calvert concerned a man named Moe. were able to give the victims greater vis-
University Media Productions, the GEB “Moe had just moved in with some family ibility worldwide and hook them up with
America staff, and Carissa Bratschun members in Moore to begin a new job in resources for the long term through Con-
from Public Relations. To help coordinate Oklahoma City,” Calvert said. “The tor- voy of Hope. It just went so well. It was a
their missions efforts, they connected with nado leveled their home. Moe’s Bible was great day.” 
Convoy of Hope, a hunger and disaster the only thing that survived. It had been
relief ministry run by ORU Trustee Hal given to him by his grandfather and had The special aired on May 25. you can watch
Donaldson, which was already serving vic- Oral Roberts’ signature in it. He said, ‘To it in its entirety by going to gebamerica.com
and clicking on the “live well” tab.
tims in the Moore area. On May 22, they have you all from ORU here, I can’t tell
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Campus C U r r E N t s
GEB General Manager
Amy Calvert visits with
Moe Vaughn in front of
what is left of the house
where he had been living.
It was leveled by the EF5
tornado that struck Moore,
okla., on May 20, 2013.
Fall 2013 | EXCELLENCE | 9
Campus C U r r E N t s
wPs Becomes Quest
you’ve heard of the Whole Person scholarship program.
And you’ve probably heard of Chancellor oral Roberts’ “Quest for
the whole Man” address to oRU’s frst class in the fall of 1965.
Put them together and what do you have? The Quest whole Person
Scholarship program.
This fall, President Billy Wilson an- impacting their world.” gram were made in 2009, more than
nounced the WPS program’s name The scholarship program, which pro- 2,300 students have benefted. The av-
change and the reasons behind it. vides awards ranging from $5,000 to erage award is $9,218.
“Incorporating Chancellor Roberts’ $20,000, beneftted 1,599 ORU students Alumni are encouraged to provide f-
original concept of the ‘quest for whole- this fall. It was inspired by 2008 gradu- nancial support for Quest, and to nomi-
ness’ opens up the scholarship program ate Jamie Weathers’ student response nate students for a Quest Whole Person
to more students by recognizing whole- Commencement speech, whose whole Scholarship event. Visit oru.edu/quest
ness is something we are all working man/whole woman theme so impressed for details. 
toward,” Dr. Wilson said. “We are look- Board Chair Mart Green, he outlined
ing for the best candidates from around a plan for a scholarship program that Below: last spring, members of “the
the globe that are passionately pursuing would help ORU recruit outstanding Core” (the frst students to receive the top
Quest whole Person scholarship awards
wholeness in their spirit, mind, and body. students who are already engaged in
back in 2009) and two Quest recipients
These students realize that attending the quest for wholeness. Since the frst from 2010 and 2011 celebrated the com-
ORU will prepare them for a lifetime of awards in this $8 million-per-year pro- pletion of their degrees with their families.
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