Inspire, Fall/Winter 2008

a lumnotes Cedarville University 39 If you would like to contact a friend highlighted in this section, please contact alumni@cedarville.edu . We’d be glad to put you in touch. alumni spotlight alumni spotlight alumni spotlight alumni spotlight alumni spotlight alumni spotlight alumni spotlight alumni spotlight Writing From the Heart For many people, the dream of becoming a published author never gets too far beyond the wishing stage. But Elyse Burk ’08, who graduated with a major in social work and a minor in organizational communication, didn’t let her youth or eight rejection letters prevent her from pursuing her dream. And now her first novel, Beyond My Heart — a story of love and friendship set in the Midwest — is being sold at local bookstores. An audio book is also available. “I wrote it the summer after my freshman year,” Elyse said. “It’s been a long road for me to get here.” She added that Cedarville gave her the impetus to follow her dream of becoming a writer. Currently living in Cincinnati, Elyse is earning a master’s degree in social work and interning at University Hospital. In addition, the busy graduate spends much of her time marketing her book and completing her second novel. She writes from personal experience, with a great deal of her material inspired by true events. “My biggest desire is to share the stories God has given me and written on my heart,” she said. “They are intertwined with the life I live and embedded in who I am. I want nothing more than to share His Good News.” In the meantime, Elyse plans to continue her schooling in the advanced standing graduate program and work with families at the hospital’s transplant clinic. Visit her website at www.elyseburk.com or contact her at elyse.burk@gmail.com. Clinton Johnson ’07 and Amanda Byers ’05 were married June 9, 2007. They now reside in Cincinnati, Ohio, where Clinton is an engineer at Triumph Engineering. After teaching for two years at Emmanuel Christian Academy, Amanda is now a substitute teacher. Joshua Wilcox ’07 and Rachel Herring ’05 were married August 11, 2007, in Leesburg, Virginia, and now reside in Brambleton, Virginia. Joshua is a web producer for Time Warner, and Rachel is an editor for Mortgage Asset Research Institute. In Memory We extend our condolences to the families and friends of these dear loved ones. Irma Dodson of Brownsburg, Indiana, went home to be with the Lord on July 19, 2008. She began teaching at Cedarville in 1968 and continued in the education department until she retired in 1983. Esther (Chesebro) Smith ’58 was taken to be with the Lord on February 23, 2008, at the age of 71 after battling cancer. She was a fourth- grade teacher for 31 years at an elementary school that recently named a wing of the building after her. She also taught education courses at the University of Indiana for 10 years. She inspired her students and friends to make a difference in the world for Christ. Kenneth Dale Swigart ’64 passed away on July 30, 2008, in Union Grove, Wisconsin. After graduation, he married Phyllis (Irish) ’65 and then enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves. He later worked at places such as Gary National Bank (Indiana), Baptist Bible College, and Shepherds Baptist Ministries. He is survived by his wife; parents; two brothers; three children, Roger ’90 , Lora ’92 , and James ’95 ; and three grandchildren. John Bird ’69 passed away on November 13, 2007, after suffering a massive heart attack. He went on disability retirement in 1999 after 23 years of service with the state of Ohio. He is survived by his wife of almost 40 years, Bonnie (Perrin) ’68 , and a son, Jonathan ’92 , of Vancouver, British Columbia. Janet Bauernschmitt ’08 went home to be with the Lord on September 28, 2008, after a car accident. She graduated with a major in studio art and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, where she worked as a sales consultant and private art teacher. A vibrant Christ-follower, Janet was involved in a variety of church ministries and missions trips. She is survived by her parents, George and Jane; and her siblings, Virginia, George, and Barbara. Correction In the summer 2008 issue of Inspire (page 33), we noted that Donnie Woodyard ‘99 lives in Siem Reap, Cambodia. However, he lives and works in Colombo, Sri Lanka, as his primary project and consults with the countries of Cambodia, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. “My biggest desire is to share the stories God has given me and written on my heart.” Send your updates by visiting www.cedarville.edu/alumni or by e-mailing alumni@cedarville.edu . You can also send them to Alumni Relations, 251 N. Main St., Cedarville, OH 45314. For guidelines, visit www.cedarville.edu/inspire .