Inspire, Spring 1998

CEDARVILLE'S BUSINESS FACULTY front row: Dr. Richard Baldwin,professor ofmanagement; Manila Johnson, associate prglessei- o.foffice technology; Marinas Hazen,chair and associate professor offinance; Dr. Sharon Johnson,associate professor ofmanagement;Dr. Clifford Fawcett,professor ofmanagement. second row: Betty Orme,assistant professor ofoffice technology;Dr. Bert Wheeler, associate professor ofeconomics; Dr. Sarah Smith, associate professor ofaccounting; Dr. William Ragle, assistant professor offinance;Susan Terkelsen '88, departmental assistant. back row: Dr. Ronald Walker, professor ofmanagementscience; Jeffrey Fawcett '82, associate professor ofmarketing; Dr. Charles Hartman, assistant professor ofaccounting; Galen Smith. associate professor ofeconomics; Richard Wolf assistant professor ofcomputer information systems; Wesley Sweetser, assistant professor ofcomputer information systems. Taking the Plunge: Operating a Family Business Erin O'Donnell Whinnery '93Nshares how her experience at Cedarville College gave her the courage and the skills to become a business owner. I n 1996,my husband,Daniel,and I started our own home repair and remodeling business,W.I.G.Handyman& Remodeling.I run the business from our home so that I can care for our two sons: Jack(2)and Benjamin(1). Daniel provides the services and handles estimates, bids,and client contacts.I am responsible for scheduling, bookkeeping,answering calls,and overall organization. I remember taking only one business class at Cedarville, but I see now the value ofthe challenge and training that it provided. Cedarville strives to equip students for excellence in the professional world. The skills I learned while pursuing a degree in communication arts have helped me in our business.People frequently comment on my pleasant, professional voice. I learned to take pride in my work and to exceed people's expectations. My professors at Cedarville expected no less than my best; they had confidence in my abilities and pushed me to excel beyond what was easy for me to produce. Many ofour clientele are repeat customers,and we thank the Lord for the opportunity to testify of His goodness as we build relationships with them. I received a great deal of nurturing and encouragement while I attended Cedarville College,and I believe that helped to prepare me for the challenge ofowning and operating my own business. Career Services Helping Alumni; Alumni Helping Students D id you know that the Career Services Office offers resume review to alumni contemplating a move? Or that it offers services for grads in the ministry? Or that it offers information resource training on the Internet forjob strategies? Or that alumni from the class of 1998 will be able to update their resumes over the Internet through the Career Services Homepage? Career Services continues to administer programs for the student body and assists members ofthe Cedarville College Alumni Association as well. Director Lew Gibbs is a career professional from IBM who also understands a parent's perspective, having three children graduate from Cedarville. Other members on the team are Lori Phipps Vasquez'96 and Debbie Campbell'97.This team lends a business approach to providing skills and interest assessment,career guidance assessment evaluation,and every technology avenue available to students as they prepare to reflect Christ in the global workplace. Career Services also oversees alumni who return to Cedarville to recruit and counsel students.Eleven business firms sent Cedarville alumni as representatives during a recent Business Career Link Day.Kim Lakes'94 and Keith Hurt'95 represented the field ofsocial services and psychology at another Career Link Day.Carol Douglas Rivetti'84,who worksfor Lucent Technologies,and Myron Youngman'76 with APEX,China,serve on the Career Services Advisory Council. These alumni arejust afew who offer counsel to Cedarville students in career assessment.Joel Campbell'90,senior auditor with the St.Paul Companies in Minnesota,gives advice on careers in finance or accounting; Attorney Kelly Fath '91 discusses the legal profession with prelaw and other students; Jodie Delich Pait'96,an IBM employee,provides CIS and technical writingjob connections; Dave Slyby '87,who works in public relations management with the Cincinnati Bengals,chats with students investigating a career in public relations,and on it goes. This is networking at its finest—Career Services helping alumni,and alumni helping students launch their careers! To learn more about how Career Services can assist you or to offer your professional expertise to Cedarville College,call director Lew Gibbs at 1-888-JOB-4U11. In the InternationalRealm f!take the wings ofthe morning, and dwell in the uttermost hand shall hold me(Psalm 139:9-10). international direction, he and his wife, Angela Bowers'82N, As the business career ofClayton Beck'81 took an partofthe sea;even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right claimed this verse for their lives. For halfofClayton's career, he and his wife have lived abroad, and even while residing in the United States, he has made frequent trips to other countries. His areas ofexpertise include international finance and accounting standards,financial reporting systems implementation, acquisition analysis and integration,and working across cultural boundaries. Upon graduation from Cedarville with a degree in business administration,Clayton almost immediately went international. His assignments with an oil field service company involved travel throughout Latin America and two years ofresidence in Bogota, Columbia,high in the Andes Mountains.In contrast,the Becks also resided in Anaco,Venezuela,a tropical world filled with exotic birds, varieties offruit trees,and tropical creatures that were not so welcome. "On one occasion," Clayton says,"I grabbed a machete to take care ofa four-foot poisonous snake that had ventured onto our patio." The Becks returned to the U.S.for Clayton to earn an MBA at the College of William and Mary and to acquire a newjob with a multinational paper and packaging company based in South Carolina. Austin and Audreyjoined the family,and Clayton traveled to Asia, Europe,and Latin America to assist and support the company's operations.The family was asked to relocate to Brussels,Belgium where Ethan was born in 1994.Clayton's financial consolidation activities and his developmentofa computerized pan-European financial management reporting application earned him the company's Champion Award.He is now heavily involved in mergers and acquisitions throughout Europe.In March,the Becks are relocating to England. Clayton values his Cedarville education."It has contributed greatly to my ability to define and solve problems,express my thoughts effectively, and better understand different people and cultures....The faculty are men and women ofcharacter who cared very deeply about their students and are dedicated to teaching." In closing,Clayton shares,"The Lord has always been faithful to provide a place to worship and fellowship and has given us many opportunities for service and involvement. We have certainly been enriched by the wonderful people offaith whom we have been privileged to meet." Student Organizations Build Ethics C cdarville College strives to facilitate biblical integration in all areas while at the same time exposing its students to opportunities in the secular arena. Organizations such as Students In Free Enterprise(SIFE)and Kappa Epsilon Alpha(KEA)further this institutional goal by allowing Cedarville students to gain business experience combined with a Christian worldview. The Cedarville chapter ofSIFE has over50student members.These members work together throughout the year to develop programs to benefit local communities.For example,a SIFE-sponsored change drive has helped a local elementary school raise much needed funds for new playground equipment. Cedarville's SIFE team is also working in conjunction with a team from Wilberforce University and the Xenia Chamber ofCommerce Education Committee to develop a"stay in school" incentive program for Xenia high schoolers. In April,the Cedarville team will go to a regional competition in Cleveland,Ohio, where they will present their incentive programs and explain how they further the organization's core idea offree enterprise. KEA,the parent organization for SIFE,promotes a professional attitude toward the study of business with the integration of biblical truths and economic principles. KEA leaders are responsible for promoting this attitude on campus as well as bringing in speakers to discuss ethics in business. KEA is an excellent avenue for Cedarville students to gain insight into business and develop a solid sense of business ethics.