Inspire, Fall 2005

80s John Smith ’82 has just completed four years of service on the executive council of the New York State Financial Aid Administrators Association (NYSFAAA), where in 2002 he was the recipient of the NYSFAAA Region II Outstanding Service Award. In addition to his service on the council, John is the statewide chair of the NYS College Aid Awareness Network. John lives in Medina, New York and is the associate director of financial aid at Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, New York. Carolyn Winsor Bitner ’84 and her husband, Pete, share that because of the political unrest in Togo, West Africa they left their home in April 2005. They are temporarily staying at the SIM headquarters in Benin. Please continue to pray for their safety and the situation in Togo. Tim ’84 and Alice Boyd Dysert ’84 are enjoying teaching teens in Madrid, Spain. Mary Lou Kincaid Stovicek ’85 and her husband, Mike, announce the birth of Kai Kasdan Michael on February 21, 2005. He is loved by his sisters, Kyra (5) and Sydney (4). Mary Lou is searching for a teaching position, and Mike works in the construction business with his father. The Stoviceks live in Vermilion, Ohio. Phil Hohulin ’87 received his doctor of ministry degree from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia in May 2005. He is the senior pastor of Central Presbyterian Church in Lafayette, Indiana. Debbie Holt ’87 shares that her husband, Mike, went home to be with the Lord on July 4, 2005. She appreciates all the support she has received from friends. Please pray for the family in this time of loss. Joanie Hull ’87 is ministering in the Czech Republic. She has gone through some difficult changes within the past year but has always seen the Lord’s hand in it all. She really enjoys having mission teams visit. Doug Iverson ’87 and his wife, Cheryl, announce the birth of twin girls, Emma Rose and Laura Morgan, on December 17, 2004. They reside in Greenlake, Wisconsin. Jeff Leach ’87 was sworn in before the Supreme Court of Virginia, becoming a member of the Virginia State Bar, in June 2005. Jeff earned a juris doctor degree from George Mason University School of Law in 2004 and is an attorney at the Meiburger Law Firm, P.C., in McLean, Virginia, where he practices business, real estate, environmental, and international law. Derek Cheek ’89 received his doctor of ministry degree from Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry in Ambridge, Pennsylvania in May 2005. He is the pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Olean, New York, and his wife, Lynette Morrill Cheek ’90 , is a behavioral specialist. They have three daughters, Cara, Lindsay, and Jacqi. Steve ’89 and Sherri Hannay Gerhardt ’88 have been so encouraged by the outpouring of love from their many University friends due to the death of their son, Joshua (5), in April 2005. Steve commented, “God is good and He is never surprised. He continues to provide the strength we need for each day.” Please continue to pray for the family. Stephen ’89 and Jody Hutchison Ross ’90 announce the birth of Katherine Jamie on April 1, 2005. She was welcomed home by her siblings, Cory-Beth, Benji, and Maggie, in Palmyra, Pennsylvania. Dan Scott ’89 and his wife, Diane, announce the birth of Sarah Marie on March 12, 2005. Dan is a business analyst with The Principal Financial Group. The Scotts reside in Des Moines, Iowa. Donna Payne VanLiere ’89 shares that CBS is making her book The Christmas Blessing into a movie that will be televised this winter. She and her husband, Troy ’89 , reside in Franklin, Tennessee. 90s Jon ’90 and Lori Rogers Haskell ’90 arrived in the States this summer for a one-year furlough. Although it was hard for them to leave Hungary, they know this was the right decision to make. Pray that those they left behind will continue in their faith. Bobby ’90 and Sara Sweetland Hile ’92 have had many transitions this year, including Bobby being named the team leader for the Durban, South Africa field. The Hiles will be moving into a new home in order to be closer to a church plant. Sandy Distler Brown ’91 and her husband, Tom, announce the birth of Allyson Grace on October 29, 2004. She was welcomed home by her brother, Austyn (5), in Warminster, Pennsylvania. They were excited when Austyn asked Jesus into his heart exactly one month after Allyson was born. Tom is a grower at Hines Color, a wholesale greenhouse, and Sandy has been a legal secretary for a small law firm for 14 years. Jennifer Sainato Parschauer ’91 and her husband, Bobby, have transferred from Word of Life to Titus International. They continue working in the same area of Austria and are now more involved in their local church, where Bobby is an elder. They focus their ministry in training and equipping Austrian nationals for future ministry. Brian ’92 and Dana Guy Phipps ’90 have been faced with some challenges and fears recently in Turkey. Pray that they will continue to be bold. The Phipps are scheduled to leave Turkey in December 2006. Jared ’93 and Leah Halsey Alsdorf ’93 announce the birth of Katherine Grace on June 18, 2003. Her brother, Jackson (5), awaited her arrival in Brownsburg, Indiana. Paul Anderson ’93 received his doctor of medicine degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School in May 2005. Karen Dieter Linton ’93 and her husband, Greg, announce the birth of Ryan Thomas on February 21, 2005. Big brothers Nate (6) and Eric (3) awaited his arrival. Karen works part-time for Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati, Ohio. Nick Awabdy ’94 and his wife, Nancy, announce the birth of Natalie Regan on December 18, 2004. Nick is a mechanical engineer for Delphi, and Nancy enjoys staying at home. They reside in Xenia, Ohio. Phil ’94 and Sue DeMan Huber ’94 announce the birth of Katie Sue on September 13, 2004. She was welcomed home by her siblings, Carissa (6), Joshua (4), and Amanda (2), in Syracuse, New York. Phil is the pastor of Trinity Baptist Church and has started doctoral work with Gordon Conwell Seminary. Sue stays busy at home with the children. Inspire 29 Congratulations Janice Warren Supplee ’86 has been named director of the newly created marketing services department of Cedarville University. Janice had previously served as director of external relations in the Division of Enrollment Management. On August 1, external relations was merged with the Advancement Division’s public relations office to form marketing services, which resides in Enrollment Management. In her new role, Janice will lead four teams (church and school relations, conference and event services, creative services, and public relations) in offering integrated marketing services to the campus. Janice lives in Cedarville with her husband, Ed ’85 , and son, Ben (3). She may be reached at suppleej@cedarville.edu . Above and Beyond Linda St. Clair Nier ’80 found herself taking a fall for students at Madison Rural Elementary in London, Ohio — literally. As the school’s principal, Linda told her students she would jump from a plane if they went “above and beyond” the literacy requirements for Right- to-Read Week. So when students raised more money to buy books, read more than they ever had before, and expressed their love for reading, Linda kept her promise by doing a tandem parachute jump near the school, much to the delight of her pupils. “As a Christian principal in a public school system,” shared Linda, “I believe I can make a difference and instill a Christian value system in a subtle way. That’s why I focused on going ‘Above and Beyond’ in our literacy program.” Linda and her husband, Danny, reside in Wilmington, Ohio. Linda may be reached at linda.nier@verizon.net . Photo by Fred Squillante/Dispatch Photos