OCTOBER 2011 When you think of Sterling College, of what do you think? Perhaps that is not the right question. When you think of Sterling College of
OCTOBER 2011
When you think of Sterling College, of what do you think? Perhaps that is not the right question. When you think of Sterling College of whom do you think? The number one thing that people remember when they think of SC is the people. Whether we are asking new students why they chose Sterling, employees why they came and stay or alumni about the most memorable thing about their time on campus - the answer is a resounding "THE PEOPLE." It reminds me of that old children's song, "I am the Church." Do you remember? "I am the Church. You are the Church. We are the Church together. All who follow Jesus, all around the world. Yes! We're the Church TOGETHER." That's what we are at Sterling, don't you think?
We live together, we study together, we work together, we eat together, we pray together, we exercise together, we play together, we cry together, we remember together (think Ecclesiastes 3. Some of the strongest relationships in our lives are forged together here at Sterling College.
How do we keep that sense of togetherness after we graduate? How do we honor what we've been given by God through this place and these people? Can we? Should we?
Yes. We can. We should.
Below are a number of ways to show honor to that togetherness and I hope that you will jump at the chance to help others know God's gift of togetherness whether it's by coming back for your reunion, meeting at an area gathering near you, assisting current students find internships or encouraging perspective students to take a serious look at attending Sterling College.
People ask me what it's like to be back at SC after an eight-year absence. As I heard often on a recent trip to Cambodia it's "same, same, but different." Sterling College has God at the heart of all and that makes it the same. Some of the familiar faces make it the same. A new vision for an even stronger future and many new people make it different. But there is no doubt the sense of community. The family. The togetherness. We share a story, a story that will not soon be forgotten.
Amy Thompson '96
COME, TELL YOUR STORY!
It’s Homecoming time and you all should have received your brochure in the mail as well as any reunion information, if you’re having one this year. If you have not received yours we may not have your correct contact information. Please take a moment to update your information online so that you are sure to not miss any future event news.
Reunion information is posted on Facebook for the following classes: 1951 (1950 & 1952); 1956 (1955 & 1957); 1961 (1960 & 1962); 1971 (1970 & 1972); 1981 (1980 & 1982); 1991 (1990 & 1992); 2001; 2006; Chroust Era (1971 – 1991) and Return of the Rowdies or can be obtained online or from the Alumni Office at 620.278.4228.
Health Professions Alumni Forum
During Homecoming, October 14 and 15, 2011
Many of you have heard about this forum. We value your opinion and hope that you will be able to join us. Please RSVP to the Office of Academic Affairs at 620.278.4228 by Monday October 10. The schedule is as follows:
Friday 14 October
3 p.m. - Alumni Panel for students and faculty in Exploration Room the first floor of Cooper Hall
If you are available, we invite you to share experiences with our current students.
5:30 p.m. - Dinner with the Science Faculty at the home of President and Mrs. Maurer
This environment allows for you to mingle with one another and current and former faculty, including Dr. Curtis Beechan who just completed 25 years of service to SC, and Faculty Emeritus Dr. Dick Walker!
8 p.m. - Homecoming Musical - Children of Eden
Saturday 15 October
7:30 a.m. - Pancake Breakfast
We encourage you to gather for an informal breakfast at the Sterling United Presbyterian Church. Coach Kruse and the women’s basketball team host a terrific pancake breakfast as their big fundraiser of the year and this way we can visit as well as support our students.
9:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. - Working Session led by Dr. Gregory Kerr, Vice President for Academic Affairs
We will meet in Heritage Hall (in Cooper Hall) to discuss current curriculum, extracurricular activities, research, and facilities. You will be formally introduced to our faculty, have a brainstorm discussion visioning the future of the program and how alumni can be a part of this future. We will complete the time with a tour of our facilities.
12:00 p.m. - Join the rest of the Homecoming activities!
here will be brand new Sterling College Alumni t-shirts and sweatshirts available at the Homecoming Hangout on the East Lawn of Cooper - be sure to get yours! The SC Bookstore will also be open through the Homecoming festivities, including 10-6 on Saturday at their location in the Student Union.
Come, Hit it Out of the Park!
There will be an Alumni Softball Game Oct. 15, 30 min. after the Homecoming football game at the softball fields. Alumni Softball T- Shirts will be available for sale. For more information contact Coach Hosea Bell at 620.278.4335 or hbell@sterling.edu.
We’ve had several alumni gatherings over the past month. We were thrilled to catch up with one another, enjoy some tasty morsels and learn about the status of the College.
This past month we had alumni officially gathering together for the Mississippi Valley Alumni Chapter which meets the first Friday after Easter and Labor Day. This group has been meeting for years and is well established. They join for fellowship, news of the College and discussions on how they can best be involved in the Mission of SC. Several members of that group have not only attended SC but sent their children and many others to the hallowed halls of Sterling. This month they enjoyed video interviews of Andy ’97 & Lesa (Anshutz ’97) Brown and Roger Brown ’77 regarding how God used Sterling College to prepare them for the mission field (all are currently serving with AIM in East Africa). That was followed by a film produced during this year’s Orientation by current student, Ian Sparks, son of Jim & Marcia (Gilmore fs70) Sparks.
We traveled to Estes Park, Colorado where Scott McCreery ’90 and Scott Carter ’88 hosted our annual “Warriors in the Woods”. We had a great group filled with new people to the gathering as well as our faithful ‘regulars.’ President, Dr. Maurer offered a presentation on the State of the College and VP for Institutional Advancement, Dr. Marv Dewey, and Amy Thompson ’96 answered any questions.
Alumni also gathered in Colorado Springs on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. We were a small but mighty group that immediately began to network and make connections of who knew whom. It was a fun afternoon filled with laughter, news of the College and old and new friends.
The largest event we had this past month brought 250+ people! We spent ten days at the “Party on the Prairie” - the Kansas State Fair. Admissions, Sterling Online and Alumni and Parents have all joined forces over the past two years to host a double-booth in the Meadowlark Building. There were daily prizes, a guest book, freebies and we collected over 100 cards from interested potential students. There are a number of photos posted on our Facebook page - bet there is someone you recognize there. The winners of the daily drawings include: Janice Miller '60; Sandra and Don '72 Wick; Joy (Anderson '00) Bircher; Larry Marker '62; Robin Getting, mother of SC soccer players Jordan and Jalen; Sarah Kelly '07; Elizabeth (Cheney '05) Ziegler; Michele Kentfield '92; Bob Schirer '69 and Floyd May '61.
Oscar Schmidt Lecture Series
Each fall, Sterling College hosts the C. Oscar Schmidt Lecture. The new McVay Business Chair, Dr. Dale Levering, is this year’s speaker. This lecture series was endowed by Mr. Schmidt of Cincinnati, Ohio, to assist undergraduates in understanding the free enterprise system and how it contributes to the success of the United States. Endowments were established at Sterling College, the University of Iowa, and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
To read more...
Are you LinkedIn?
Sterling College has a highly valuable asset - you. We are experiencing a tough economy around the world and it's more and more difficult to find a job in a chosen field, especially without experience. What a tremendous gift you can give to Sterling College and a current student by assisting them in finding an internship in your company. We are working on assisting our students to prepare their own LinkedIn accounts and to network with you through a group set up by our alumni, not the school. This is run by you and encouraged by us. Join us at Sterling College Kansas. If you have internships available, please contact our Dir. of Career Services, Lisa Parson.
Career Services
Career Services hosts a Networking Night once a semester. They are working with our campus FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) chapter this year to make this an even bigger success. This Networking Night is not intended to be a job fair; it is a learning opportunity for our students. While we are hopeful that some alumni can provide job or internship connections, our goal is for students to learn and develop networking skills. If you are interested in joining us on November 10 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. for an evening a networking with our students, please contact Lisa Parson.
We're Coming!
We’re heading to Topeka the end of October and are looking forward to seeing you at the Kansas Museum of History and hear from Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Greg Kerr, Alumni Director, Amy Thompson ’96 and some of our current students. Please join us for light refreshments on Saturday October 29 from 1:30 pm – 3 pm. You are welcome to enjoy the museum before or after on us! The have a special exhibit celebrating the 150th anniversary of Kansas Statehood. Please RSVP to the Alumni Office by email, Facebook or calling 620.278.4228.
Former SC Baseball Coach Authors Memoir
So You Wanna Be a Legend. So Did I.: The Reflections of a Teacher-Coach. A Search for Significance. (published by WestBow Press), the new memoir by ex. athletic coach Hadley Hicks, is a compelling story of one man’s journey in finding who he is through Jesus Christ.
As an All-American in football and track, along with being a talented baseball player, Hicks was destined for greatness. He was expected to rise through the ranks of professional athletics, turning his high school achievements into professional stardom.
“My dreams for my future were based on high school achievements and the expectations of others,” he remembers.
For Hicks, life after high school did not go as planned. He spent most of his athletic career on the bench at the University of Arizona. His dream of becoming a legend slowly faded away.
His post-University of Arizona career was a whirlwind of activity. He played for the national U.S. Military football championship team, the Fort Ord Warriors, playing aside renowned National Football League players Rudy Bukich and Sam Baker. Upon graduation from Arizona State University, Hicks became a high school teacher-coach. His high school career included Carmel High in Carmel, Calif.; Prescott High in Prescott, Ariz. and Flagstaff High in Flagstaff, Ariz. Hicks' 30 year teacher-coach career ended at Sterling College in Sterling, Kan. But, he says, it was not until he put his trust in God that his life truly began.
“The Victorious Christian Living teaching that ‘the truest things about me are what God says about me (1 Cor. 4:3-4)’ had a huge impact on my understanding of my self-concept,” says Hicks.
So You Wanna Be a Legend. So Did I. shares Hicks’ journey of aligning his life, and his legacy, to the will of God.
If you would like to get in touch with Coach Hicks, you may reach him by email or 620.278.3680.
Have you written or illustrated a book? We’d love to know about your accomplishments and the library would be happy to have a copy for their shelves. Send all information and books to the Alumni Office at 125 W Cooper, Sterling KS 67579, and they will be appropriately marked and donated to the Mabee Library.
We are announcing a new contest!
What happens when you find something you enjoy? What about when you believe in something so much that you cannot resist telling others about it? The passion with which you share what you most deeply believe ignites curiosity in others to discover what the excitement is all about.
We’re not supposed to keep the good things to ourselves, but share them. Sterling College is for sharing. When was the last time you told a young person about this great place where you received a top-notch education inside and outside of the classroom? When was the last time you were heading this way for a play or a game and invited someone along that may be thinking of college? When was the last time you pulled out your yearbook and showed off your ‘glory days’ to your own children? Now is the time! Don’t keep SC a special secret tucked away, share it!
We are initiating a recruiting contest. The alumna or alumnus who recruits the most students wins a beautiful Sterling College afghan! Here are the rules:
1. If the prospective student is a new entry to the Admissions database and if he or she matriculates to campus, it is counted as a successful recruit.
2. If that prospective student is already in the system but inactive and the contact with the alumni makes a difference in the matriculation of the student to campus, it will be counted as a successful recruit.
3. The contest is open to ALL alumni except Sterling College employees.
4. The contest runs from September 30 to September 30 of each year.
5. The winner will receive a select Sterling College afghan from the Alumni Office and recognition at the Homecoming Alumni Banquet.
6. Alumni may request recruiting materials from Admissions and are encouraged to visit campus to meet new faculty and coaches.
You’re WHERE? Doing WHAT?
You’ve asked for it and we’re giving it to you – a new Alumni Directory! This is your chance to update all of your information with the Alumni Office and each other, telling us where you are and what you’re doing. We have new programs coming up that you will not want to miss but we need to know where you are and what you’re up to so that we can best serve you. We are especially looking for high school and community/junior college teachers and the birthdates of everyone’s children so they are sure to receive their birthday gifts at birth, 5, 10 and 15 years. You will be receiving information before the holidays regarding the new directory. We are utilizing the services of PCI to create a top-quality book, filled with bonus 125th Anniversary Information. So please take just a few quick minutes when you receive the telephone call to respond. This also helps us be better stewards of our time and money as we do mailings for events like Homecoming so that you get the information as quickly as possible. Thank you!
Sterling College is a Christ-centered, four-year college located in Sterling, Kan., with a mission to develop creative and thoughtful leaders who understand a maturing Christian faith. For more information, visit www.sterling.edu.
