Cedarville Magazine, Fall 2017

So far, 27 Green family members, or related family members, have attended Cedarville University. Or are still attending. Because the Green team keeps sending new recruits to Yellow Jacket territory. If you ask the first generation that sent multiple kids to Cedarville, it all started with their uncle Ray Erickson ’57. “Our family attended Euclid Nottingham Baptist Church in Euclid, Ohio,” noted Dan Green ’80, the second Green to attend Cedarville and one of the University’s newest trustees. “Some of the leaders of the Baptist Bible Institute (BBI) were leaders in the circle of churches up there. Ray was looking for a Christian school, so he attended Cedarville.” In 1953, BBI, located in Cleveland, merged with what was then Cedarville College. Even though the Green family tree runs deeply through Cedarville’s history, by the time Dan considered going to college, his parents had uprooted a number of times — from Cleveland to Florida, then Boston, back to Cleveland, then finally to Florida again when Dan started seventh grade. “When I graduated from high school, I was planning to attend the University of Florida,” he explained. “I had been accepted and I was ready to go, with some friends coming with me. But my parents (Doug and Gail Green), requested that I attend a Christian college for at least one year, and that was OK with me.” Mom and Dad Green suggested Cedarville. “So, sight unseen, I applied, was accepted, and I drove with my folks to the cornfields of Cedarville, Ohio, in 1976.” Dan and his parents met with then-President James T. Jeremiah, who offered encouragement to the would-be Gator about his decision to try his wings at Cedarville. “I moved into Cedar Park, which is married housing now, on the other side of the railroad tracks (now the Prairie Grass Bike Trail),” he said. “My parents dropped me off, and my mom left crying. But within a week, I knew it was the place for me. “I had no desire to go back to a state school or to transfer out,” Dan continued. “Cedarville was exactly right for me.” Dan graduated with bachelor’s degrees in accounting and Bible and is a partner at Wheelock Street Capital, a real estate investment firm. Several years later, Dan’s younger brother Alan ’82 would follow, then sister Sandy (Green) Nilius ’86, and last of all, baby brother Mike ’88. “Three of us found our spouses at Cedarville,” Dan said. “My wife, Julie (Hutchins) ’81, and her brother Barry ’83 went to Cedarville. My brothers and brother- in-law found their spouses there. My brother’s kids have attended Cedarville; all four of my kids attended, and three of them found their spouses at Cedarville. Julie and I have a nephew and a niece attending there right now. “It’s been a good run.” DEEP-ROOTED REASONS But what was it? What exactly convinced four siblings to attend the same school? Of course, having the influence of an older brother can be big. But was it something more? “Dr. Dixon used to come to our church and speak,” Alan said. “When he was named president, we knew we’d be in good hands.” Also, Dan played tennis for Cedarville. “The team would come down to Lakeland during spring break,” Alan continued. “My dad was a developer, and one of his developments was Any gathering of Greens also means a Yellow Jacket reunion, as occurred at last year's wedding of Jenna (Green) Berkey '13 to Zach Berkey on New Year's Eve 2016. The ceremony took place at Heritage Baptist Church in Lakeland, Florida. 18 | Cedarville Magazine