Torch, Winter 2012

History on Wheels History is not always learned from a book; sometimes it’s better learned on a bus. In January, a group of students, faculty, and staff participated in a four-day bus tour through Southern cities that played key roles in America’s civil rights movement. The fifth-annual bus tour began in Atlanta, Georgia, the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and ended in Memphis, Tennessee, where Dr. King was assassinated. Along the route in Alabama, students visited museums and historic sites in Selma, Montgomery, and Birmingham. Thanks to an institutional endowment, students paid only a minimal deposit for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. During travel time, students watched and discussed films about the historic movement as well as racial issues in contemporary America. Students from multiethnic backgrounds wrestled together with issues of racism and white privilege. They shared stories about how these historic events are still influencing their lives today. Interest in this trip was the highest it’s been in five years — 142 students applied for 25 spots. According to Jon Purple, dean for student life programs, students came away with a clearer understanding of how the past shapes the present and their personal role in racial reconciliation. “History makers didn’t always know in the moment that they were making history,” he said. “Sometimes they were just doing the right thing.” cedarville.edu/bustour Loving Monday In November, Cedarville welcomed manufacturing executive and author John Beckett to headline a daylong seminar for business executives. The “Loving Monday” seminar, sponsored by the Cedarville University Department of Business Administration, was titled after Beckett’s first book, Loving Monday: Succeeding in Business Without Selling Your Soul . Beckett’s premise is that for a Christian there is no separation between faith and work. He centered his remarks on how this principle influenced the way he structured his company’s mission statement and core principles. He has written a second book called Mastering Monday: A Practical Guide to Integrating Faith and Work . “The seminar provided a great opportunity to engage business leaders with biblical ethics in practice,” said John LeBlanc, chair of the business administration department. “Hosting this event on our campus allowed current and future business leaders to network and gave students a window into today’s business environment.” The seminar featured breakout sessions and a panel discussion with other executives, including Mac McQuiston, president and CEO of the Christian Executive Officers Forum; Jonathan Greenwood ’85, senior vice president at Huntington National Bank; Harvey Hook, executive director of The Gathering; Michael McDorman, president and CEO of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce; Kim Robinson, president and CEO of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center; and Randy Wilcox ’81, president of the North and South America Area for Otis Elevator Company. Winter 2012 | TORCH 35 SCOTT HUCK | CEDARVILLE UNIVERSITY