Inspire, Fall 2007

30 Fall 2007 To find out more about these stories, visit www.cedarville.edu/whatsabuzz and click on “ Inspire Articles.” Best 2008 Colleges America’s Colleges Honored by Alma Mater Cedarville president Dr. Bill Brown was honored to speak at Dallas Theological Seminary’s 2007 commencement ceremony, held at Prestonwood Baptist Church on Saturday, May 12. Dr. Brown holds a master of theology degree and a PhD from the seminary. Top Tier Continual quality improvements have led to another top-tier ranking for Cedarville University. This year the editors of U.S. News have ranked the University third in the Midwest region, a jump from last year’s admirable ranking of 14. U.S. News used peer assessment along with objective factors such as graduation rates, average class size, and the student/faculty ratio to determine the rankings. “Academic excellence is a significant component of Cedarville University’s mission statement, and we are extremely pleased by this positive, independent evaluation of our quality and value,” explained President Brown. Master Musician Jun Kim, assistant professor of music and conductor of the Cedarville University Orchestra, is gaining international recognition. Thanks to his outstanding performance in a conducting master class in St. Petersburg, Russia, Kim was awarded an invitation and scholarship to work with the Moscow Symphony Orchestra in a second master class. At the same time, Kim was chosen to participate in the seventh annual National Arts Centre Conductors Programme in Ottawa, Canada. Brittany Smart ’07 To Go Pro with Belgian Basketball Squad Brittany Smart ’07 has signed a one-year contract to play women’s professional basketball in Belgium. The 5’9” guard heads to Europe to join the Point Chaud Basketball Club, which competes in the highest division of women’s basketball in the country. Smart assembled staggering numbers during her career at CU, setting 23 career, season, and single-game records. Her collegiate total of 3,236 points is both the current NAIA Division II record and the record for all women’s college basketball in Ohio. Smart was a three-time NAIA All-American and the NAIA Division II National Player of the Year during the 2007 season.