Inspire, Fall/Winter 2009

CEDARVILLE UNIVERSITY 11 TPC alumni. That would be a great idea — but I would have to rent a large hall to accommodate the many students and alumni! Getting to KnowYou God has given me 28 wonderful years on the Cedarville faculty, years in which to build into the lives of hundreds of students. Because the TPC major is relatively small, I have the same students for many courses. It’s a wonderful opportunity to get to know them better. Of course, my interaction outside of class isn’t limited to the Christmas brunch. Students are often in my home for game nights and dessert and just to hang out. Each year I invite the junior and senior girls to my house on a Saturday for a movie marathon. One year we watch six hours of Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea ; the next year we indulge in the BBC classic version of Pride and Prejudice . The day also includes chicken salad, homemade rolls, and coffee or tea — all served on china plates and in dainty china teacups. And finally, each spring I take students on a trip. We have gone as far west as Minneapolis, as far north as Toronto, east to New York City, and south to Orlando. We either attend a professional conference or visit corporations that hire technical writers. In the evening, the students pile into my hotel room where we talk for hours and laugh until we cry. The time we spend together on these trips is like no other. It’s togetherness in a whole different context. And this is where so much of the bonding takes place. As a result of these special times with students, they feel comfortable stopping by my office just to chat. They often ask questions about their schoolwork or talk about their career path. But it is not unusual for a young man to drop by and, after all the classroom-like queries, shyly ask my opinion of a certain young lady he is thinking of asking on a date. And more times than I can count, a conversation quickly turns serious as a student relates the events surrounding a relationship that has gone bad. I hand them the tissue box — after taking one for myself. Yes, often I cry with them. God has given me a special ministry to students suffering from broken relationships. Perhaps it’s because I can still remember the pain I felt while going through an especially painful breakup. I tell them it is all right to cry, then remind them that God has a plan, one far better than they could even imagine. Students will tell me, 25 years later, how they remember that time in my office and how true that advice was for them. MyFavorite Things Like millions of others, I have found online social networking like Facebook to be a great way to keep in touch, and a majority of my “friends” are current students or graduates of the TPC program. I can keep up-to-date on their career changes, their marital status, and their children. The best part is being able to view pictures of their weddings and growing families. Teaching at Cedarville is so much more than making lesson plans and showing up to teach a class. It’s more than making sure students take all the right courses and graduate on time. It’s being fair and consistent in the way I make decisions in the classroom. It’s teaching students a work ethic they can take into their own career after graduation. It’s introducing them to a profession and making sure they are equipped to excel in the workplace. It’s even helping them find internships and jobs. And it’s modeling a true Christian life and attitude — both in the classroom and in the home. That’s what I want them to remember when they think of their time at Cedarville. Well, that and blueberry caramel pecan French toast! Sandi (Welch) Harner ’64 serves as professor of technical communication. Along with her teaching responsibilities, she is an independent consultant and contract writer and a former board member for the Society for Technical Communication. She also serves on Cedarville’s Alumni Council. She and her husband, Don, have two children, Amy Thompson ’95 and Scott. You may contact Sandi at harners@cedarville.edu . Blueberry Caramel Pecan French Toast Texas toast, cut in half 5 eggs 2 1/2 cups milk 1 cup packed brown sugar, divided 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 cup chopped pecans 1/4 cup butter, melted 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries Arrange a single layer of bread in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, 3/4 cup brown sugar, vanilla, and nutmeg; pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate for eight hours or overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Sprinkle pecans over egg mixture. Combine butter and remaining sugar; drizzle over the top. Bake uncovered at 400° for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with blueberries. Bake 10 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. i