Inspire, Fall 2002

Inspire 23 Glenn Knauff ’82 Groundsman, Physical Plant At Cedarville since 1991 My wife’s health caused her to ask me to change employment. I said I would not want to leave my job except to work at Cedarville. In January 1991, I called Cedarville Grounds Supervisor Paul Ware and asked if he happened to have an opening. He said, “Strange that you should call at this time, but the new mowing machine will be here April 1 and the grass will be here April 1—when can you be here?” I started April 8, 1991. As Paul Ware says, “We cooperate with God in beautifying this campus.” I have the best job on campus. I love my work! Tom Mach ’88 Associate Professor of History At Cedarville since 2000 As a student here, I developed a strong desire to teach in a Christian institution of higher learning. Each professor I had left an imprint on my life and assisted me by grounding me in the faith and encouraging me to integrate that faith with what I was learning. Even more, there were a few key individuals that really took me under their wings. They modeled what it means to be a Christian intellectual, challenged me to critically evaluate information, and cared for me in times of need. It was their influence and encouragement that led me to go on to graduate school. Throughout my graduate school experience, I hoped to return to Cedarville. There were no openings in my field, however, and the Lord blessed me with six good years at another fine Christian college. When I found out about the opening here in 2000, my wife, Christine (McCormick) ’88, and I immediately began to seek the Lord’s guidance. I had turned over the idea of returning to Cedarville to the Lord by then. We believed it was an opportunity from Him when it came and so were delighted when I was offered a position. Cedarville’s role in both of our lives has made us eager to serve at this institution. We appreciate its recognition of the value of chapel, its theological heritage, and its maintenance of the traditional liberal arts focus. We regard the opportunity to play a role in the lives of students a special privilege and a great responsibility. We hope to impact the lives of our current students in the same way that our professors did in our own lives. Synthia Wilhelm ’02 Secretary, Office of the President At Cedarville since 2002 I decided to stay and work at Cedarville because of the atmosphere. I wanted to be in an environment where I could surround myself with Christians and be encouraged and stretched daily by others. I am so happy to be here! I get the opportunity to work with the cheerleading squad as an assistant coach. I would really like to teach, encourage, and be there for the girls whenever they need me. James Leightenheimer ’80 Associate Professor of Communication Arts At Cedarville since 1982 I was preparing to change jobs and I called Wes Baker (my former professor) and asked him if I could list him as a reference. He said that my name had come up that day for a faculty position, but that they thought I wouldn’t be interested. I was, and God opened the doors, and here we are 20 years later. My ministry is to 1) teach students about electronic media, 2) provide them with as many opportunities as possible to practice skills that will prepare them for the future, and 3) provide as many “bridges” as possible from college to the job market.