Early on the morning of June 7th, a group of Southwestern Christian University students loaded up their sound system, musical instruments and luggage, piled into van and embarked on a trip towards South Carolina, where they will begin a two-week tour of churches, camps, children’s homes and chapel services.

The group, known as One Voice, is comprised of nine current SCU students continuing the work of the many former students who have come before them and participated in one of the school’s richest traditions. The trip comes on the heels of a tour of Oklahoma in which the group visited several churches, schools and assisted living centers within the state. Whether they are performing in the friendly confines of the Sooner state, or several states away, the impact of One Voice’s ministry doesn’t change.

Directed by Dr. Mark Johnson, SCU’s Creative Arts Department Head, and Professor David Roman, along with assistance from former group member Taylor Drake, One Voice is a ministry that molds students’ talents and love of music into a powerful vocal group.

This year’s group consists of Jay-Cee Camp (Putnam City, Okla.), Hamin “Chris” Choi (South Korea by way of Bolivia), Erica Halley (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Jacob Johnson (Ponca City, Okla.), Sasha LeBlanc (Okmulgee, Okla.), Cameron Leggett (North Carolina), Kaisha Schoonover (Bartlesville, Okla.), Justin Ward (North Carolina), and Rebekah Willis (McAlester, Okla.).

University President Dr. Ed Huckeby says One Voice’s ministry is a continuation of the wonderful tradition of music and service at SCU.

“Since the founding of Southwestern Christian University in 1946, music has played an important role in the academic formation, spiritual development and student recruitment for our institution,” Huckeby said. “The members of this year’s group are continuing this tradition through leading worship across the country, as well as serving as counselors and ministering in other venues, such as nursing homes.

“We are very proud of these young people and the standards they have set for themselves, both musically and spiritually.”

Southwestern Christian University is proud to announce that Shelley Groves has been named one of the StateStats.org 2013 Top 20 Women Professors in Oklahoma.

Groves, who serves as the Dean of Arts and Sciences, as well as the Head of the Language Arts program, just wrapped up her eighth year at SCU. She says that while she was honored to be named to the list, the news really caught her by surprise.

“I was shocked,” Groves said. “I had no idea how they found me or that I was even being considered for it, but it was a very nice surprise when they contacted me. It really is an honor and I think it speaks very well of our university.”

Ever since receiving her Bachelor’s degree from Evangel University in Springfield, Mo. in 1992, Groves has been involved in education. She spent several years teaching in the classrooms of public schools and also served in administrative roles along the way, all while furthering her own education. She received her Master’s degree in Education from Southern Nazarene University, her Master’s in English from the University of Central Oklahoma, and is now in the process of pursuing her PhD in Instructional Leadership in Academic Curriculum from the University of Oklahoma.

With an obvious understanding of what it takes to maximize the learning experience, Groves says she approaches each semester with the goal of reaching each individual in her classroom rather than just teaching to a group.

“My main thing each semester is just trying to connect with each individual student so that I can meet their specific needs,” Groves said. “By building those individual relationships I am able to understand what I can do for them to help them to succeed as students, and as professionals after they finish school.”

While most would view this is a personal honor, Groves sees it as a tremendous opportunity for the school she has served for the better part of a decade.

“I think it is awesome for SCU,” Groves said. “We are a growing school and while our athletic programs have had success and been able to draw attention to the university, things like this can help us to point to the academic side and make it known that we are very good school and we are striving to be world-class, academically.”

The list is compiled by StateStats.org, in conjunction with its partner website OnlineSchoolsOklahoma.com and seeks to find post-secondary educators who had been recognized recently for excellence in the classroom, on campus and in the community.

“Our goal with the Top Professors project is to recognize some of Oklahoma’s stand-out educators and mentors,” said Wes Ricketts, Vice President and General Manager of StateStats.org. “When our site visitors expressed deep interest in learning about the people who make the state’s colleges and universities truly tick, we were honored to oblige.”

The complete list can be viewed at http://onlineschoolsoklahoma.com/top-college-professors-in-oklahoma/women/.

By Tyler Moss

Another semester came to a close on the campus of Southwestern Christian University as friends and family gathered in Pickens-Springer Gymnasium on Saturday, May 4th, for SCU’s 64th Annual Commencement Ceremony.

The event was highlighted by a commencement address from Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor Todd Lamb. An Enid, Okla. native, Lamb has spent many years in public service to the state of Oklahoma and made his return to the SCU campus after speaking at chapel last year.

Lamb spoke about the changes in Oklahoma in terms of career options and fields of employment, encouraging graduates to stay in the state in which they received their education. He told the story of Nehemiah’s willingness to put aside his own plans to fulfill the role that God had prepared for him, and challenged the graduates to take that same approach into the next leg of their journey.

“Just as Nehemiah accepted the role that God had in store for him, I challenge you to do the same,” said Lt. Governor Lamb. “I’m not talking about complacency – that’s not what acceptance is. It is being in his will and accepting the role that he has for you in His time. He has been preparing you just as he prepared Nehemiah. Whether you are finishing your Master’s or your undergrad, the mission that Christ has called you to is just beginning.”

“We never know what God has in store for us,” Lamb added. “Fortunately for us, that is impossible to know, but you have done things in college that God has put in your life for a reason. You may not know what those specific things are right now, but they will help you to flourish and prosper for His sake in the future.”

The lieutenant governor delivered his speech to 103 graduates, including 13 Master’s degree recipients, 82 Bachelor’s degree recipients and eight Associate’s degree recipients.

Leading a list of special award recipients was graduate Robert Lenk, the Academic Achievement Award winner who was selected by faculty and administration to deliver the student response to the president’s charge. Nova Hartsook and Sarah Van Dreese received Transformational Leadership Awards; Hannah Daniel received the Servant Award; Phylis Hadley received the Faculty Service Award; and Dr. Adrian Rus received the Faculty Scholar Award. Sheila Algan, M.D. was also presented with a Community Service Award for her service as team physician with the university’s varsity sports teams.

Graduation weekend is always a highlight of the school year as we celebrate another group of Christian leaders who will impact their world for Jesus Christ in business and ministries all around the world.

The purpose of the scholarships is to assist students who have suffered financial hardship as a result of the devastating tornadoes that ripped through Oklahoma on May 19th and 20th. According to University President, Dr. Ed Huckeby, this is an opportunity for those whose lives were disrupted by these storms to defray their college costs.

“We feel this is not only the right thing to do, but is also the type of gesture that exemplifies Southwestern Christian University’s ‘scholarship, spirit and service’ mantra,” said Dr. Huckeby. “We are excited about the opportunity to have a positive impact on this tragic situation.”

The scholarship would cover the school year beginning in August of 2013 and ending in May of 2014 and will be available to qualifying high schools seniors who are graduating this Spring as well as adults looking to begin their college education.

For information about applying for these scholarships, contact University Provost Reggies Wenyika at 405-789-7661.

Additionally, in collaboration with Disaster Relief USA, SCU is providing temporary housing for storm victims, as well as for DRUSA Mobile Kitchen team members from around the country who will be providing meals for the Moore storm victims and relief workers. Storm victims interested in more information about temporary housing should contact the DRUSA office at 405-792-7132.

You can watch the commencement from this web page. Or follow the link to go directly to the live stream.

http://ustre.am/6ZFS

By Tyler Moss

Southwestern Christian University is pleased to welcome new women’s track and cross country coach Ron Mitchell to the SCU family.

Mitchell is familiar with the Oklahoma-area track and cross country scene, having been born and raised in Tulsa, Okla., where he attended Union High School. He then attended Central State University (now University of Central Oklahoma).

After graduating from college in 1975, Mitchell wasted no time starting his coaching career as he accepted a job serving under legendary track coach Jim Bradshaw at Union High School. After two years at Union, Mitchell accepted his first head coaching position at Edmond High School, where he built the program into a power house, winning eight state championships in track and cross country. Mitchell’s teams also finished as state runners-up eight times.

In 2003, Mitchell moved to Texas to coach at Harker Heights High School, Industrial High School, and Grapevine High School. Over the course of his career, he has coached 43 individual state champions and all state recipients, as well as 12 High School All-Americans.

“We are very excited to have Coach Mitchell joining our staff,” SCU Director of Athletics Mark Arthur said. “He has a wealth of experience and will do a tremendous job. His coaching record speaks for itself.”

Mitchell and his wife Marsha have been married for 32 years and have three children, Brooks, Clif, and Williams, as well as two grandchildren Riley and Wyatt.

Paul Parent, who has served as the head coach for both the men’s and women’s teams at SCU, will now focus his attention solely on the men��s team as Mitchell takes the reigns of the women’s program.

By Tyler Moss

Officials at Southwestern Christian University are excited to announce that Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor Todd Lamb will be speaking at SCU’s 2013 Spring Commencement Ceremony.

An Enid native, Lamb has spent many years in public service to his state and nation. In 2010, Oklahoma elected Lamb as Lieutenant Governor. His campaign focused on job growth and economic development, and he was able to quickly begin putting his forward-thinking ideas and agenda into place. Soon thereafter, Lamb was appointed to the Governor’s cabinet as the advocate for Oklahoma’s small business.

Prior to his election, Lt. Governor Lamb served in the Keating Administrator, and worked on the staff of United States Senator Don Nickles. Lamb also served as a Special Agent with the United States Secret Services, where he was elected president of his Secret Service Academy class and graduated with special recognition.

In 2009, after having served for five years in the Oklahoma Senate, Lt. Governor Lamb became the first Republican Majority Floor Leader in state history. He currently serves as Chair-Elect of the National Lieutenant Governor’s Association (NLGA) Executive Committee and Vice Chair of the Aerospace States Association (ASA).

Lamb and his wife Monica have been married 17 years and have two children, Griffin and Lauren.

The Lieutenant Governor won’t be entirely new to the SCU campus, however. As Kevin Richardson, SCU’s Vice President for University Development and Advancement points out, Lamb was able to share his story of faith with a number of SCU students last year.

“We are excited to have Lt. Governor Lamb as our 2013 Commencement Speakers,” Richardson said. “Lt. Governor Lamb was on the SCU campus last year as a Chapel speaker, and I am confident our graduates will find his comments to be both challenging and insightful.”

Commencement weekend will hold many activities for SCU graduates, beginning with a Graduate student luncheon at 11:30 am on Friday, May 3rd. Students seeking further information should contact the Graduate Studies office. Meanwhile, at noon, undergraduate students and adult studies students can attend a luncheon in their honor at the North Hall Conference Center. Following lunch, all graduates are to attend rehearsal in Pickens-Springer Gymnasium at 2 pm.

On Saturday, May 4th, students, faculty and Board of Regents members will need to arrive at the Patrick Center at 9:15 am for line-up. Doors of the Pickens-Springer Gymnasium will open to the public at 9:15 am. The Processional will begin at 9:50 am, with the commencement ceremony beginning at 10 am.

By Tyler Moss

Southwestern Christian University professor Adrian Hinkle had the unique opportunity to give a presentation at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the Society for Pentecostal Studies earlier this spring. Dr. Hinkle was one of just a handful of people selected to present at the conference, which was held on the campus of Seattle Pacific University in Seattle, Wash.

Hinkle, who serves as the Dean of Professional Studies, as well as the Department Chair for Theology Admissions at SCU, was asked to present on a paper she wrote entitled Pedagogy of Deuteronomy. That paper reflects the ideas of her doctoral thesis, which has been in the works for three years.  Hinkle gave her presentation in the Biblical Studies portion of the event.

“I consider it a high honor to present papers and offer my own feedback among other SPS members who have authored countless books and articles,” Hinkle said. “It is a humbling experience to present my own original research to an audience of well-accomplished scholars and receive their feedback and positive reinforcement as we continue to sharpen one another in our respective disciplines.”

The Society for Pentecostal Studies (SPS) is a group of academicians, pastors, and leaders who have a sincere desire to advance the scholarship of Pentecostals. For 42 years, the group has shared a unique camaraderie and fellowship. The society is in conjunction with the Wesleyan Theological Society.

Among those that take part in the peer review process at the Meeting of the SPS are Dr. Lee Roy Martin, who serves as current president of the society, as well as Craig Keener, Paul Alexander and Derrick Rosenior. All of these members have authored countless books and articles in their respective fields.

In addition to being an incredible career opportunity for Dr. Hinkle, her selection by the committee was just another example SCU students and faculty having a far-reaching impact in so many different areas of study and expertise.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in the ongoing scholarship of biblical studies, and more specifically, to participate among like-minded individuals within my own theological framework of Pentecostalism,” Hinkle said. “I am so thankful for SCU’s support and encouragement to pursue the advancement of Pentecostal scholarship and I hope that the opportunity continues for years to come.”

Officials at Southwestern Christian University are excited for the opportunity to host the History and Christian Thought Forum on the campus of SCU this Friday, April 12th.

Reverend Steve Hendrix, who is serving as co-chair to the event along with SCU’s own Dr. Reggies Wenyika, says that while the forum will cover a variety of specific topics, the encompassing purpose is to explore the connection between civic compassion and Christian tradition.

“Dr. Wenyika and I are excited for attendees to be able to explore how our ideas of what we call ‘ministry’ can be focused in settings outside of church,” Hendrix said. “We are going to be thinking through those type of actions and notions and how they relate to present and future policies.”

Forum participants will be able to attend a variety of seminars and lectures, then have the opportunity to discuss those in a roundtable setting. The event will feature speakers from a variety of institutions and organizations, including SCU, Southern Nazarene University, Youth for Christ, The Salvation Army, Love OKC and Jedidiah Enterprises, Inc.

“The reason we are doing this forum is because we would like to see students really consider some of these issues and the practicality in making a difference in existing systems that aren’t necessarily in the church,” Hendrix said. “We are excited to see students get that opportunity and we are excited to host an event like this on the campus of SCU.”

The forum, which will be held in SCU’s Conference Center, is open to all SCU students and will also host students from several other surrounding colleges. Registration opens at 8 a.m. Friday morning and the invocation will begin at 8:30 a.m.

A group of Southwestern Christian University students and administrators were featured on the Friday, March 22, 2013, edition of TBN’s Praise the Lord. One Voice, the traveling vocal group that has been a part of the SCU student body for over a decade, was featured on the show after recording the special last week.

The show, which is hosted by Tony Miller, head pastor of The Gate Church, featured two performances by One Voice, as well as interviews with University President, Dr. Ed Huckeby, and Vice President of University Development and Advancement, Rev. Kevin Richardson.

“This was a tremendous opportunity for us to promote our university and share our vision for SCU,” Huckeby said. “While we were recording this episode, another musical group from our university was leading worship at Oklahoma Christian School’s chapel in Edmond. It really is just a testament to our students and the way they are using their gifts and abilities.”

One Voice is a student-led vocal group that travels and performs at churches, camps and a number of other functions. Often times, the students will also serve as counselors at the camps as a way to further serve as ambassadors for SCU. As Dr. Huckeby points out, while the students have grown accustomed to performing, recording for a television special was a unique experience for most of them.

“Recording for the show gave the students in One Voice a unique opportunity to do in-studio recording,” Huckeby said. “Most of them had never done that, so it was exciting for them to see all the work and procedures that go into that process.”

The episode of Praise the Lord featuring One Voice aired Friday morning, March 22, at 10:30am CST on KTBO Oklahoma City (Cox Ch. 23).

A group of Southwestern Christian University students had a unique opportunity to take a trip to Chicago, Ill., earlier this semester for an in-depth look at the work of author C.S. Lewis.

Professor Shelley Groves, who teaches a class called “The World of C.S. Lewis” at SCU, led the trip that featured a visit to the Marion E. Wade Center on the campus of Chicago’s Wheaton College. The facility houses a large collection of articles, letters, dissertations, and other pieces written by or about a group of authors that Lewis was a part of known as “The Inklings”.

Students had the unique opportunity to view original writings and first editions of the books that they are currently reading in Groves’ class, as well as original words and sketches from Lewis.

Tiffany Owen, one of the students who participated in the trip, gushed about the impact that some of Lewis’s more personal writings had on her.

“Reading all of the letters from C.S. Lewis to the children allowed me to get to see his heart,” Owen said.
The students also had the opportunity to hear a lecture given by the Director of the Wade Center, who had great stories and information about C.S. Lewis, J.R.R Tolkien, George McDonald and a number of other authors.

Chad Arnold isn’t taking Groves’ class, but that didn’t stop him from absorbing all that the Wade Center had to offer. “It was really cool seeing how relevant the authors are today, well after their lifetime,” Arnold said. “It is refreshing to know that someone can create something that can impact so many generations and benefit the kingdom of God.”

July 2, 1941 - February 23, 2013

Rev. Damon O. Burrows; Southwestern Christian University alumni, administrator, and father of current board chair David Burrows; entered his eternal rest on Saturday, February 23, 2013.  The funeral service for Rev. Burrows, 71, Enid, Oklahoma, will be Saturday, March 2, 2013, at 10 a. m. in the Minchew Auditorium on the campus of Southwestern Christian University, 7210 NW 39th Expressway, Bethany, OK 73008.

Chaplain (Colonel) Jerry L. Jones, U. S. Army retired and Director/Endorser of Chaplains Ministries, IPHC will be presiding.

Burial will follow in Red Hill Cemetery in Hammon, OK, under direction of Brown-Cummings Funeral Home.

Graveside military honors will be conducted by the U.S. Navy.

Burrows was born July 2, 1941 in Elk City, OK, to Oran Thomas and Ila Pearl Blount Burrows and died February 23, 2013 in the Wakita Community Health Center.

He graduated from Southwestern Christian University with a B. A. degree, and later received an honorary doctorate. He was an ordained minister in the Pentecostal Holiness Church for forty-five years. He served four years in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War and also was overseas on Midway and Kure Islands.

On January 4, 1964, Damon married the former Miss Marilyn Lucille Brown in Spring Valley, California. He is survived by his wife, Marilyn of the home, two sons: Damon O. Burrows II of Newport Beach, California, and David A. Burrows of Enid, Oklahoma; three grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents.

If you would like to send condolences to Marilyn Burrows, Damon's widow, you may write her at:

Marilyn Burrows
2515 Sleepy Hollow Drive
Enid, OK 73703

Marilyn's e-mail address is: servantmb@gmail.com

SCU Men’s basketball team got a boost from both youth and experience this weekend as they were led by a senior and freshman in an emotional twin bill split at home.

Friday night, the Eagles welcomed in College of the Ozarks (Mo.) for a MCAC showdown that featured two teams separated by just one game in the conference standings. After taking a 2-0 lead to start the game, SCU fell behind and trailed the entire first half, entering the break down 32-26 as they were out-shot 58 percent to 37 percent from the field.

However, in the second half, the Eagles reversed the trend as they shot a blistering 54 percent from the floor, including a 6-of-11 effort from three-point range. SCU went on to outscore the Bobcats by 12 in the second half on its way to a 63-57 comeback win in a game that featured five ties and four lead changes.

SCU was led in scoring by senior Tyler Averill and freshman Reggie Sloan. Averill, a 6-4 forward from Anaheim, Ca., finished with 15 points and five boards for the Eagles, while Sloan, a 5-10 guard from Edmond, added 15 points of his own.

The Bobcats were led in scoring by senior forward Mike Wiebe, who finished with 16 points. Freshman guard Ethan Murray added 13 points for the Cats, who are now 18-12 on the season.

On Saturday, Haskell Indians Nation University visited SCU’s Pickens Springer Gymnasium in what would turn out to be an equally intense contest. The Eagles trailed for most of the first half, despite shooting a higher percentage than the Indians and went into the break trailing by four. In the second half, the Eagles stuck around, and even took the lead with just over 11 minutes left in the game, but the Indians regained the lead on a bucket by junior point guard Grant Proctor and held SCU at arms length the rest of the way.

Trailing by eight points with just under four minutes remaining, the Eagles mounted a furious comeback, but came up just short, losing 69-67.

Sloan led the way for the Eagles in the losing effort, scoring 25 points on a remarkably efficient 7-of-8 shooting performance, along with an 11-of-15 effort at the free throw line. Averill was the only other SCU player in double figures, scoring 17 points and securing nine rebounds.

The Eagles close out the regular season with a 10-19 record, including a 6-9 mark in MCAC action. They will now begin preparation for conference tournament play next weekend.

SCU Women’s basketball team closed out the regular season with a home split this weekend. Led by forward Jordan Gooch, the Lady Eagles showed the same resilience that has become their calling card in bouncing back from a tough loss Friday evening to secure a win on Saturday.

On Friday evening, the Lady Eagles hosted the Midlands Athletic Conference’s second-place team, College of the Ozarks, inside Pickens Springer Gymnasium on the campus of SCU. Despite trailing most of the first half, SCU held tough against a gritty Bobcats squad, trailing by only three points heading into the break.

But in the second half, the Lady Cats proved to be too much, putting the clamps down on the Lady Eagles offense to the tune of 24 percent field goal defense and cruising to a 74-56 win.

Gooch, a 6-1 sophomore from Cashion, Okla., made the most of her 19 minutes on the floor as she led the Lady Eagles in scoring with 10 points. Fellow sophomore Kim Hayes and senior LaPorchea Sanders each added eight points.

The Cats (26-3, 14-2) were led by sharp-shooting senior Kenzie Lauffer, who scored all 15 of her points on 5-of-7 from beyond the arc. Bobcat sophomore Kayla Kepler was the game’s leading scorer with 18 points.

On Saturday, SCU took to the floor against Haskell Indians Nation University in a game that featured two teams tied with one another in the MCAC standings. Once again, the Lady Eagles found themselves in a tightly contested first half, with the Indians bouncing back every time SCU extended the lead to double digits. After leading by as many as 14 points, the Lady Eagles took a five-point lead in at the half behind a strong effort from junior Venessa Bledsoe.

In the second half, the Lady Eagles stepped up their effort on the defensive end, holding the Indians to 32 percent shooting from the floor. Meanwhile, SCU continued their hot shooting from the first half, knocking down 44 percent of their shots from the floor as five different players scored in double figures. The end result was a 77-67 win for the Lady Eagles.

Senior guard Ciara Thomas led the way with 17 points and eight rebounds, while Gooch and Bledsoe each added 15. Senior tandem LaKaisha Jones and LaPorchea Sanders scored 13 and 10, respectively.

SCU closes out the regular season with a 12-17 record, including a 6-9 mark in MCAC action. The Lady Eagles will now begin preparation to compete in the MCAC Conference Tournament next weekend.

Southwestern Christian University’s Pickens-Springer Gymnasium got a major facelift recently with the addition of a brand new campus wellness center.

The new addition, which opened in January, will go a long way in furthering the strength and conditioning regimens of SCU’s athletic programs. It includes a much welcomed wellness room with multiple cardio machines, as well as weight machines.

The expansion also houses a new athletic training room that triples the size of the training area in the previous facility. In addition to a whirlpool, treadmill and stationary bicycle, this area also houses ultrasound and electrical stimulation machines, as well as a greater number of treatment and taping tables.

SCU Athletic Director, Mark Arthur, says that the addition of the new facility will allow the school’s athletic programs to raise their level of competitiveness.

"The wellness center is something we really needed in order to compete on the national level in the NAIA and the Sooner Athletic Conference,” SCU Athletic Director Mark Arthur said. “It also gives us a place where the everyday student can work out as well."

As Arthur points out, the athletes aren’t the only ones that stand to benefit from the new center, either. In addition to serving as a workout facility for SCU students, it will also be the site of an educational lab for students in the Kinesiology tract of the Sports Management major.

The second floor of the facility contains six coaches’ offices, added bleacher space and the largest classroom on the SCU campus.

Southwestern Christian University’s men’s basketball team may have been playing in the cool Midwest region of the United States this weekend, but there was a definite west coast presence felt in a dominating two-game sweep for the Eagles.

Tyler Averill and Clint Amberry, both California natives, led the way for an SCU team in need of wins after suffering back-to-back losses in their last two games.

On Friday night, SCU entered their contest as the underdog against the MCAC’s second-place team, Oklahoma Wesleyan University. But that didn’t seem to bother the Eagles as they followed the lead of their two California seniors to an enormous upset inside Pickens Springer Gymnasium.

SCU shot an astounding 52 percent in a wild first half that featured six ties. Averill, a senior from Anaheim, Ca., nailed a three-pointer with 26 seconds left to give the Eagles a 36-33 lead heading into the break.

In the second half, it was much of the same as SCU led most of the way, but could never fully leave OKWU behind. However, with 4:30 left on the clock, Amberry hit a tough inside shot to extend the lead to 13 for SCU and from that point on, they kept OKWU at arms length on their way to an exciting 78-69 upset win.

Averill put up 20 points, 12 of which came from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Amberry, a 6-10 senior from Los Alamitos, Ca., put up a monster game with 20 points and 16 rebounds in 30 minutes of play. And while SCU’s offensive numbers were staggering, it was the team’s defense that really set the tone for the upset as they held OKWU to 35 percent shooting for the game, including a dismal 30 percent in the second half.

On Saturday, it was much of the same for SCU as they were on the road to Conway, Ark., for a conference matchup against Central Baptist College inside CBC’s A.R.Reddin Fieldhouse. Again, it was Averill and Amberry leading the way, but not without tremendous effort from several other players as five Eagles scored in double figures.

Amberry and freshman guard Reggie Sloan led the way with 13 points each, while Averill and sophomore forward Jordan Narcisse each scored 12. Tyler Inman, a junior from Savannah, Okla., score 11 in the winning effort.

SCU once again found itself in a tightly contest first half that included seven ties. After leading by one entering the break, SCU put the clamps down in the second half, holding CBC to just 29 percent shooting en route to a 13-point win, 80-67.

With the wins, SCU improved to 9-18 overall, including a 5-8 mark in the MCAC standings. Up next, SCU will head to Missouri for its last true road game of the year as they face off against Central Christian College before returning home to wrap up the regular season with homes games against College of the Ozarks and Haskell Indians Nation University.

Southwestern Christian University’s women’s basketball team bounced back from a tough loss on Friday night to garner a weekend split behind the stellar play of senior, Clara Thomas.

On Friday, Thomas, a 5-8 guard from Oklahoma City, paced the Lady Eagles in a tough loss to Oklahoma Wesleyan inside SCU’s Pickens Springer Gymnasium. SCU found itself overmatched by the 17th-ranked Lady Eagles of OKWU and struggled to get anything going offensively. OKWU got scoring from every player on its roster, including a 15-point effort from sophomore guard Shelby Graham to lead the way in a 40.3 percent shooting effort.

For SCU, it was Thomas and sophomore guard Kim Hayes leading the way as each player scored eight points and grabbed three rebounds. LaKaisha Jones, a senior from Houston, Texas, overcame a rough shooting night to fill up the stat sheet with four points, five assists, three rebounds, two steals and a block.

The loss dropped SCU to 10-16 overall this season and 4-8 in conference play. OKWU improved to 19-4 and 11-1 in the MCAC.

SCU had no time to dwell on the loss, however, as it hit the road early Saturday morning towards Conway, Ark., for a conference showdown against Central Baptist College. While both teams have struggled this season, SCU held a single-game lead over CBC in the conference standings and knew a win would put some distance between them and the Lady Mustangs as both teams entered the home stretch.

The game was tightly contested from the opening tip, with neither team able to gain much of an advantage on the scoreboard. Central Baptist got tremendous play from a trio of scorers all night as Alyssa Drake led the Lady Mustangs with 23 points, and Abbi Stearns and Shelby WInkle pitched in 13 and 11, respectively.

But SCU countered with an outstanding trio of their own as Thomas and Jones each put up 20 points, and junior guard Vanessa Bledsoe piled up 19 points of her own, including a 2-for-4 effort from beyond the arc.

After leading 30-27 at halftime, SCU did its part to hold off CBC in the second half, but it wasn’t without some tense moments. After extending their lead to 11 points on a jumper by junior guard Bailey Wilkerson with 9:11 left in the game, CBC mounted a furious comeback that was capped by a three-point play from Stearns that tied the game at 59 with 3:04 remaining. But Jones quickly countered with a three-pointer of her own and the Lady Eagles never looked back as they grinded out a 67-65 win.

The win helped SCU to improve to 11-16 overall, including a 5-8 mark in conference play, while CBC dropped to 3-10 in the MCAC and 11-13 overall.

Up next, SCU will head to Missouri for its last true road game of the year as they face off against Central Christian College before returning home to wrap up the regular season with homes games against College of the Ozarks and Haskell Indians Nation University.

Southwestern Christian University’s Creative Arts Department took another major step in program development recently as they opened the doors to a new music facility on campus. 

The new building houses several faculty offices, as well as a classroom, and large rehearsal hall that doubles as a second classroom. In addition, the creative arts facility also houses four practice rooms where students can put in extra time sharpening their vocal and instrumental skills. The added space provides the opportunity for musical groups to rehearse at nearly anytime without interfering with other campus activities or classes. The new rehearsal hall also cuts down on a lot of added time and effort that was once committed to tearing down staging to prepare for other groups to use the auditorium.

SCU currently has four ensembles – Chapel Band, One Voice, Chorale and Pep Band – and while the Chorale still rehearses in the auditorium, the other groups now have a full practice area.

David Roman, head of the Creative Arts Department at SCU, says the space has given students additional freedom to use their extra time developing their skills.

“It warms my heart to hear students in the practice rooms using that space outside of normal rehearsal times,” Roman said. “Daily, students are in there playing the pianos, blowing horns or vocalizing. And that’s not just good for those students – their roommates are happy they have a place to go, too.”

As is the case with any project of this size, there were plenty of people and groups playing key roles in the acquisition and preparation of the new building.

“Jeff Patterson did an incredible job of clearing out and cleaning up the facility on short notice,” Roman said. “Brenda Philips was instrumental in helping the school secure the building, and the Wallace Company transformed the space into its totally different look and feel.”

While the new facility has allowed the creative arts department to make huge strides in its development, in no way does its completion signal a stopping point. Roman added that the department wants to grow its technology, graphics and drama offerings in the next few years, which will most likely require additional space.

Southwestern Christian University’s Women’s basketball team bounced back from recent back-to-back losses to split a twin bill in Pickens-Springer Gymnasium on the campus of SCU this past weekend.

In Friday night’s contest, the Lady Eagles were led by Vanessa Bledsoe and LaPorchea Sanders as they forced 20 turnovers en route to a 30-point win over York College (Neb.).

SCU withstood a strong effort from the Lady Panthers in the first half before eventually extending their lead to 13 points heading into the break. In the second half, SCU wasted no time putting away the Lady Panthers as a torrid shooting stretch helped them go on a 12-3 run to get things going.

Bledsoe, a junior from Tulsa, Okla., led the team in scoring with 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including a 3-of-3 effort from beyond the arc. Sanders, a senior guard from Oklahoma City, filled up the stat sheet with 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

York struggled from the floor all night and saw no player score in double figures. Alyssa Becker scored nine points for the Lady Panthers, while Marissa Maher scored eight points and grabbed eight rebounds in the losing effort.

In Saturday’s game against College of St. Mary’s, SCU was able to jump out to a five-point halftime lead behind a strong effort (14-of-33) from the field. However, in the second half, the offense sputtered, and with 13 minutes remaining, the CSM took a lead on a three-pointer by Amanda Woodring.

SCU bounced back as Kim Hayes put the Lady Eagles back in the lead with a big three-pointer with 3:37 remaining, but CSM senior Jessica Zaruba answered with a three-pointer of her own and the Flames never relinquished the advantage.

Bledsoe once again led SCU in scoring with 14 points, and Hayes pitched in with 13. SCU is now 10-15 overall and 4-7 in conference play.

The Lady Eagles will now get back to work as they prepare to host Oklahoma Wesleyan Thursday night in Springer-Pickens Gymnasium. It will be the third and final game of this home stand before hitting the road for two weekend contests against Central Baptist College and Central Christian College.

Coming into the weekend, Southwestern Christian University’s men’s basketball team had won three out of four games and appeared to be gathering some steam heading into the stretch run of the season. However, that momentum was momentarily halted as the Eagles suffered tough back-to-back losses in Pickens-Springer Gymnasium on the campus of SCU, dropping them to 7-18 overall and 3-8 in conference play.

In Friday night’s contest against York College (Neb.), the Eagles hung around in a tightly contested first half behind a strong effort from senior Tyler Averill, but the Panthers closed the half on a 7-2 run, capped by a free throw from Thaddeus Varmall with three seconds left to extend the Panthers’ lead to double-digits going into the break.

In the second half, it was much of the same from York’s senior guard tandem of Varmall and Marcus Johnson, as the Panthers went up by 17 points before coasting to an 11-point win over SCU, 82-71. Averill led SCU with 24 points and eight rebounds, while Clint Amberry and Tyler Inman each scored in double figures and grabbed eight rebounds each.

In Saturday’s game, also on the campus of Southwestern Christian University, the SCU men made a strong bid at upsetting Bellevue University (Neb.), but couldn’t overcome a torrid first-half shooting performance in which the Bruins connected on 17 of 28 attempts from the field (60.7%). Bellevue junior guard Everett Robinson scored all 10 of his points in the first-half barrage that saw the Eagles fall behind by 13 (27-40) heading into the locker room.

In the second half, the Eagles clawed back and eventually took a one-point lead on a Clint Amberry layup with 6:19 remaining in the game, but the Bruins, led by senior forward Shawn Tarver’s 20-point effort, regained the lead and were able to hold off the Eagles to close out a 61-57 win.

Amberry and Averill led the Eagles with 12 and 11 points, respectively, while each player also record 7 caroms in the game. Inman, Ray Hillard and Jordy Harris each chipped in with five points for SCU.

The Eagles will now get back to work as they prepare to host Oklahoma Wesleyan Thursday night in Springer-Pickens Gymnasium. It will be the third and final game of this home stand before hitting the road for two weekend contests against Central Baptist College and Central Christian College.

Southwestern Christian University officials had the unique opportunity recently to host a meeting for the presidents of the Oklahoma Independent Colleges and Universities (OICU) on the campus of SCU.

University President, Dr. Ed Huckeby, who currently serves as the chair of the OICU Council of Presidents, and provost Dr. Reggies Wenyika represented SCU at the event.

"We were excitedto host university presidents from around the state as well as Chancellor Johnson,” Dr. Huckeby said. “This was a great opportunity to showcase the new features of the SCU campus and share our vision for the future."

The OICU is a statewide organization that serves the interest of independent higher education within the state of Oklahoma. Part of the OICU Mission Statement is to “…support and promote the values of independent higher education and especially to support and promote independent colleges and universities in Oklahoma.”

The OICU, which places a heavy focus on research and data collection, is particularly involved in policy issues relating to student aid and the inclusion of independent colleges in state postsecondary initiatives and activities, such as teacher education and enrollment and retention improvements.

The event was highlighted by a presentation from Dr. Glen Johnson, the chancellor of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. Dr. Johnson, who also serves as the chief executive officer for the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education, presented information about Oklahoma’s role in the Complete College America (CCA) initiative. The CCA is an ambitious higher education initiative undertaken by the state of Oklahoma to increase the number of degrees and certificates earned in Oklahoma to 50,900 by 2023.

"We are exploring waysin which we cancollaborate with our educational partners at the public institutions around the statetohelp achieve Oklahoma's goalsin the CCA,” Dr. Huckeby said.

The initiative, which is backed by Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin, includes working with K-12 by focusing on college readiness, transforming remediation, expanding collaboration with CareerTech, enhancing adult degree completion efforts, and tracking and rewarding improvements in degree completion.

The next OICU meeting will take place at the Oklahoma state capitol in April.

Rita Queen Williams Tate has been named the Hugh's News Woman of the Year for 2012

Rita Queen Williams Tate was born in Clinton, Oklahoma to Hubert and Violet Williams in 1948. Soon after Rita was born her father became pastor of Central Pentecostal Holiness Church, moving the family to the south side of Oklahoma City in 1950. He had a hugely successful tenure as the church grew by the hundreds throughout the early to late 1950s. Rita would be one of eight children born to the couple. After four boys, she was the first of three girls, and then another younger brother was added later. Her middle name, Queen, is a tradition passed to the first girl born into a Williams family.

Rita loved church and grew up memorizingScripture and singing for the congregation. She was saved at the age of six in a Sunday school class taught by Opal Finchum, whom Rita calls “a masterful teacher who made Bible stories come alive and explained fully what it meant to give your heart to Christ.”  The first person she told about her salvation decision was her father who said with tears in his eyes, “Rita Queen that is the greatest news you will EVER tell your Dad.”

By the time Rita was a teenager, her father had left the ministry but the family remained dedicated to the church and maintained a strong Christian household. She attended Southwestern Christian University, first briefly as a high school sophomore, then later as a full time college student. Rita's uncle, C.H. Williams, many may recall, was a dean and professor at Southwestern for many years. In fact, C.H. Williams, helped found the school along with Oral Roberts, and R.O. Corvin in 1946.

Rita's love for music was always apparent and one evening while at home with her two younger sisters, she asked if they would sing a song with her. Almost miraculously a sound developed very quickly. Younger sister, Vikki took the lead part, the youngest sister, Renee, sang tenor, and Rita was the alto for the group. No lessons, no direction, just three voices united in the closest of harmony, difficult to come by unless the voices are related. The ease and clarity of sound even surprised the sisters.

Soon, The Williams Sisters were being asked to sing at local youth events, revivals, and conferences. Rita became the spokesperson for the group and developed a unique speaking style, sharing Biblical messages and illustrations, weaving the music into the overall theme. Along with a small band as accompaniment, they began to tour the country performing at church youth camps, conferences, and holding revivals from coast to coast. From the late sixties to mid seventies, The Williams Sisters were traveling and ministering full time. The group's two albums, Introducing … The Williams Sisters and Joy!, produced during that time, are still asked for today.

“It was a wonderful time in our lives. We were privileged to see many young people come to know Christ and we were enjoying the time together, understanding how blessed we were to do something we loved to do,” said Rita.

In 1974, The Williams Sisters were introduced at the National Quartet Convention held in Nashville as “The New Group of the Year.” The honor was part of a program that was the precursor to the current Dove Awards awarded to Christian artists. Thereafter, the sisters would share the stage often with The Oak Ridge Boys, the Stamps Quartet, The Inspirations, and other well-known groups.

As the 1980s approached, marriage and raising families became new priorities and the group no longer toured, but got together periodically for special events through the years. Rita married Dr. Richard Tate, a campus minister, in 1977, and they served on the campus of Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri for many years. As Vice President for the school as well as Campus Minister, Richard along with Rita continued to sing together and minister, representing the school and recruiting many students throughout the Midwest. Two children, son, Ryan, and daughter, Trinity, were born while at Bolivar.

The couple moved to the San Diego, California area in 1990 to take their first full time pastorate. It was during this time they began to work on producing a book aimed at helping married couples and families. The material for the book was gleaned from the live seminars and conferences Richard and Rita conducted several times a year. When the family moved back to their Oklahoma roots in 1997 the manuscript was sent to several publishers. Finally, their book 11 Reasons Families Succeed was published. “It's a great tool for dating or married couples, and families experiencing challenges,” Rita explained.

“Richard was serving as the Chief of Staff for Mary Fallin, who is now the Governor of Oklahoma at that time, but we learned so much about the publishing process and marketing books that we became interested in creating our own publishing house. In 2000, our son Ryan graduated from the University of Oklahoma where he was a varsity wrestler for the Sooners and daughter, Trinity, a cheerleader for OU on track to graduate in 2001. Ryan married a beautiful girl and after a brief stint as Area Director for Youth for Christ, Ryan joined us as we finally formed Tate Publishing and Enterprises, LLC. Ryan was named President of the company and Trinity soon entered the family business as one of our first editors,” Rita continued.

“Trinity is now the Executive Director for Acquisitions. You know, it was as if it happened by itself. I suppose that's how you know it truly is a 'God thing'. We can't take credit for a single thing. When we began to solicit manuscripts the response was overwhelming and from that day to this; the business continues to thrive. We are so grateful. It is God's business, not ours. Everyday we look around, amazed at what God has done in twelve short years. We have over 200 employees, produce wonderful, beautiful books that bless and change people's lives, and are able to give into the kingdom of God because of Tate Publishing's success.”

Rita became involved with Southwestern Christian University upon the family's return to Oklahoma and is now Vice President for the Executive Committee for the Board of Regents and loves the school that gave so much to her when she was a young student. “Southwestern is in my DNA – I have a passion for it's past and it's future. To see the school expanding, building, and becoming a vibrant educational entity is thrilling. You step on that campus once, and you will never be the same. I'm in for a lifetime.”

Rita maintains a busy schedule as always. As Executive Creative Writer for Tate Publishing she is a ghostwriter for the company's celebrity authors. She has written for Lee Greenwood, Neal McCoy, the niece of Oklahoma's favorite son, Will Rogers, the Selmon brothers--Oklahoma University football greats, along with Joe Washington. She has also written for Nolan Ryan, Reba McEntire, Kenny Rogers, and NBA's Karl Malone and many others. She is also active in the Oklahoma Federation of Republican Women and directs the Miss Mustang Pageant, a preliminary for the Miss America Pageant.

“Family will always be our highest priority. As years pass, Richard and I realize more and more that time spent with them is the most precious, valuable, and important thing we do. Ryan and Christy have two children, a daughter, Courtney Queen, carrying on the middle name tradition, and son, Will; Trinity and husband, Lee have two beautiful little girls, Sloane and Avery."

“When Hugh approached me about being named Hugh's News Woman of the Year, I was of course, honored, but more than that, I was humbled. I remember as a six year old, on my knees praying the prayer of salvation. I have not been perfect and have made some mistakes along the way, but I always knew God loves me, guides me and favors me in ways I can't fathom. I have been sold out to Him for many years now and He gets credit for anything I have accomplished. As to this newest honor, it reminds me of a Williams Sisters song we used to sing,'It's A Wonderful Feeling!' Love and blessings to all--Rita Williams Tate.”

Editor's commentary: Rita asked me this question: "Hugh, How do you go about selecting the person of the year for Hugh's News?

That is a great question. I am not sure I could tell her or you exactly how it happens. I had a French professor at Furman University who enjoyed giving us pop quizzes. We would study diligently, memorize the vocabulary, etc. After all the hard work, he would invariably fail to give us a quiz for which we were primed to do well. How disappointed we all were because we knew we could make good grades if we studied.

We asked him how he decided when to give a text. He said, "It depends on how my liver acts on any given day."

All I can say is that I pray about it all year, starting in January and wait to see how things go, and how God may impress me with the right individual.

As I recall, I first met Rita Williams Tate in 2006 at the Annual Homecoming of Southwestern Christian University, and she and her sisters, the Williams Sisters, sang. Rita spoke, too, and I was impressed with her poise, charisma and ability to connect with those who were in attendance. I saw in Rita a tremendous leadership ability. She spoke with the anointing of the Holy Spirit that moved the large group that came to sing.

Following that first meeting of Rita, she was asked to be the emcee for the annual reunion singing. She has done it with charm and an appealing demeanor and command of the event. She is well-organized, and the movement of the whole event is carried by the flow of music and introductions of singers with professional precision and poise. She invited Lonnie Rex to be the conductor of the Gospel Singing last November and what a magnificent job he did, along with Betty on the grand piano, Laban West and Randell Drake on the other pianos.

I learned later that Rita and her sisters grew up in the home of a pastor in the Pentecostal Holiness Church in Oklahoma. They formed a trio, The Williams Sisters Trio, that traveled all across the west [and the whole country] where they were well received, loved, and greatly appreciated for their anointed and dynamic gospel singing.

It is the opinion of this writer that they were on a par with the Andrew Sisters and the Lennon Sisters who sang on the Lawrence Welk TV Show. They were known as America's Sweethearts. The Williams Sisters Trio were the Sweethearts of the Pentecostal family of churches throughout the west.

Rita Tate is co-founder of Tate Publishing and Enterprises–a Christian based publisher located in Mustang, Oklahoma. She is the author of 12 Battles Every Woman Must Win!, and co-author, with her husband of 11 Reasons Families Succeed.

I have visited the Corporate Offices of Tate Publishers and Enterprises in Mustang, OK, and met with her husband, Dr. Richard Tate, also a remarkable person with enthusiasm, energy, vim and vitality. I would say he has Spizzerinctum.

It is my delight and honor to introduce you to RitaWilliams Tate, the 2012 Hugh's News Woman of the Year.

As a newly hired professor at Southwestern Christian University, Dr. Adrian Rus is still getting used to his new surroundings, a process with which he has become quite familiar in recent years. Born and raised in Romania, Dr. Rus will tell you that it is only by God’s will and divine plan that he landed thousands of miles away in Bethany, Okla.

As a teenager in Romania, Rus had finished technical school and settled into a job at a factory as so many young men did in that area. But after realizing his desire to pursue a higher education, Rus began what would be a long and, at times, grueling process of earning a college degree. Having attended technical school, Adrian knew that before even considering college, he would have to receive a high school education. So, for seven years, Rus continued to work in the factory during the day and attend classes in the evening as he inched towards the first step of his goal.

“It was a very challenging time in my life – challenging to me personally and spiritually,” Dr. Rus said. “Most days I would get up at 3 or 4 in the morning, study, go to work all day in the factory, leave work in the evening and then study a little more before I attended classes at night.”

Finally, after years of his sunrise to sunset grind, Rus had finished high school and was ready to pursue his college degree, but he didn’t stop there. After receiving his Bachelor’s degree from Dimitrie Cantemir University in Tirgu-Mures, Romania, Rus decided to pursue Master’s degrees in Science, Psycho-Diagnosis, Counseling and Phsycotherapy. Through his work as a student and also as an instructor at Dimitrie Cantemir University, Rus earned a full scholarship to Texas Christian University in Forth Worth, Texas.

“That was very important to me that I received a full scholarship and was able to attend such an incredible institution there,” Rus said. “But it was also a very trying time. It meant that my wife and I had to move to a new country and essentially start new.”

At TCU, Rus earned another Master’s degree as well as a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology in May of 2012. Now, Dr. Rus is ready to use his knowledge and experiences to influence the lives of SCU students. After attending larger universities, Dr. Rus is excited about being on a smaller campus and the opportunity that it provides to be a more effective teacher.

“I have had some very unique experiences leading up to my time here,” Rus said. “Now I’m excited to not only teach the students here, but to build relationships with those students and help prepare them for their journey ahead.”
When he’s not teaching or working on publications, Rus loves to read and spend time with his wife and 16-month old son.

In 2011, Dr. Dana Owens-Delong retired from a 35-year teaching career that had taken her from a junior high classroom in Muldrow, Okla., to the department of teacher education at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, and included a number of stops in-between.

Now, after 18 months of partial retirement (she continued to do some consulting work after leaving UCO), Dr. Owens-Delong recently returned to the field she loves, accepting a position as the Director of Southwestern Christian University’s Teacher Education Program.

“I retired a year and a half ago because I felt like that was what I was supposed to do,” Owens-Delong said. “After a while, I wasn’t looking for more things to do, but the timing became just right for me to come here and I felt like this was where I needed to be. I just wanted to come in, contribute and continue the work that my good friend (Tim Campbell) had started here in this department.”

While Owens-Delong brings a wealth of knowledge about education and technology to her new role, there is one aspect of her new job that is different from any she has ever had. Having spent her entire career in public education, she has always struggled with some of the limits that the educational system has placed on faith and religion. Being at SCU allows her the opportunity to speak openly about her faith, and implement it into her work on a daily basis.

“Being on a campus that embraces a Christian perspective and actually integrates faith into learning is very exciting and refreshing,” Owens-Delong said. “I embrace the opportunity to take all of the concepts, all of the theories, and all of the practices and applications that I’ve learned and developed over the last 35 years and look at those through a Christian lens.”

As far as what she expects in her day-to-day work at SCU, Dr. Owens-Delong says it ultimately comes down to her love for interacting with people, taking all of their ideas, and using those to create something new through a collaborative event.

“There is an opportunity here to create something new,” Owens-Delong said. “I want to take my 35 years of educational experience and be able to put some things in place that are effective in producing new teacher candidates that can have a good handle on how to contribute in a wide range of educational environments.”

Recognizing that the world of education is constantly changing, Dr. Owens-Delong has developed a passion for preparing teachers to face the challenges those changes will present in a classroom setting.

“Schools have changed so much over the last 35 years,” Owens-Delong said. “There is such a need for teachers who can see each kid’s unique circumstances and try to hit them where they are and make a difference in that person’s life.”

While for some, 35 years in the same field would start to become mundane, Dr. Owens-Delong has never had that struggle. In fact, her biggest obstacle is sitting down long enough to relax and reflect in between her job and her hobbies, which include, but are not limited to, kayaking, fly fishing, hiking, dancing, painting, pottery and teaching Pilates and yoga classes.