Torch, Fall 2003

Fall 2003 / TORCH 19 Engineering Prof Receives Outstanding Teacher Award D r. Clint Kohl, associate professor of electrical engineering at Cedarville University, has received the American Association of Engineering Educators (ASEE) 2003 Outstanding Teacher Award for the North Central Section. (The North Central Section includes Ohio, Michigan, western Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.) Kohl is the first Cedarville professor to receive this honor. The ASEE Outstanding Teacher Award honors teachers of engineering and engineering technology for their superb classroom performance. The recipients must exhibit qualities such as self-confidence, poise, enthusiasm, ability to motivate others, and a willingness to help students. His or her contributions to the profession should include developing courses and equipment, working to improve facilities, having works published which enhance the education process, and serving as a mentor to other faculty members. The recipient also must have a strong record of activity in ASEE or the educational activities of another professional society. Along with holding membership in ASEE, Kohl is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Tau Beta Pi (the National Engineering Honor Society), Phi Kappa Phi (the National Academic Honor Society), and Eta Kappa Nu (the Electrical Engineering Honor Society). Kohl advises Cedarville University’s fire- fighting robot team, which placed second at the 2003 Trinity College Fire- Fighting Home Robot Competition in Connecticut. Kohl also developed his own robot for the expert division of the competition and won fourth place. Kohl came to Cedarville University in 1994 as an assistant professor of electrical engineering. In 2000, he received tenure and was promoted to associate professor. Kohl holds a B.S.E.E. from South Dakota State University, a M.S.E.E. from the University of North Dakota, and a Ph.D. from Iowa State University. Brown and Novenson Speak at Fall Bible Conference C edarville University’s new president, Dr. William Brown, teamed up with Joe Novenson, senior pastor of Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church (Tennessee), to speak at the 2003 Cedarville University Fall Bible Conference, Aug. 18-21. Brown covered the first half of the conference, speaking on “Excelling in Christ.” He explained that excelling in Christ requires an active mind and an active heart. Brown challenged students to “make up their minds” — to decide what kind of people they want to become, to open their minds to God’s perspective, and to mature mentally. He also exhorted them to “make up their hearts” — to decide to love others, to see people as God sees them, and to be giving people. Novenson spoke on “Surprising Problems and Surprising Solutions.” Focusing on the book of Hebrews, he determined that the greatest danger to Christians is apathy, a state which makes believers irrelevant in the world. The surprising solution to this problem, he advised, is to keep our eyes on Jesus instead of focusing on ourselves. Novenson also noted that many Christians have no idea how to fail. His solution is that believers should learn to be the biggest, fastest, deepest repenters. One of Novenson’s key themes throughout his messages was that believers must stay focused on Christ. Brown became president of Cedarville University in June 2003, following a ten-year presidency at Bryan College in Dayton, Tenn. A graduate of the University of South Florida, Brown holds a master of theology degree and Ph.D. from Dallas Theological Seminary. As a nationally-recognized expert in worldview, he has authored three books (Making Sense of Your Faith; Where Have All the Dreamers Gone?: Observations from a Biblical Worldview; and Making Sense of Your World with Gary Phillips) and more than a hundred articles for journals, magazines, encyclopedias, and newspapers. Novenson has been the senior pastor of Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church in Lookout Mountain, Tenn., since 1996. Along with his broad range of ministry and pastoral experience, he holds a B.A. in speech communication from Rider College and a M.Div. from Westminster Theological Seminary. He has done graduate work in Barthian theology with Dr. F. Dale Bruner at Whitworth College. Novenson served on the Covenant Theological Seminary (Missouri) Board of Trustees from 1996-2000. A well-known speaker at seminars and conferences, he has had numerous articles published in newspapers, magazines, and online publications. New Graphic Design Program at CU C edarville University is pleased to announce the addition of a new bachelor of arts degree in graphic design. This program will prepare students for careers in visual communication in capacities such as graphic designer, art director, information designer, design consultant, or communication designer. Career opportunities include the design of advertising, corporate identity, packaging, publication design, environmental graphics, multimedia, and Web site design. Nearly every type of business, industry, service, and organization, both public and private, requires professionals for visual communication. Cedarville’s graphic design program offers instruction by leading graphic design professionals in an environment that provides optimal interaction between students and faculty. The curriculum combines two elements: an emphasis on foundation courses, focusing on traditional principles of design, and an emphasis on studio courses, providing hands-on work for developing both conceptual and technical skills. Unique to most Christian colleges, Cedarville’s graphic design major also includes a required internship component, providing opportunities for students to gain professional experience as a complement to their academic work. This new graphic design major will be the first step in the process of Cedarville’s plans to offer three majors in art: graphic design, studio art, and art education.