HUNTINGTON, Ind. – Former Huntington University centerfielder Donovan Clark is getting his shot at professional baseball. The 2019 graduate recently earned a spot on the New Hampshire Wild roster.After attending a week-long tryout in Delaware, Clark was picked up by the independent American professional baseball team based in Concord, New Hampshire. Wild is part of the Empire Professional Baseball League.
HUNTINGTON, Ind. - Huntington University men's basketball coach Ty Platt has announced his 2019 recruiting class. This fall will mark the HU skipper's 12th year at the helm of the Forester program."We are very excited about this year's group of incoming players," said Platt. "Each of them brings not only a wealth of good talent, but also the kind of commitment, character and personality that will fit extremely well in our locker room and on our campus.
HUNTINGTON, Ind. - The awards continue to pile up for Huntington University junior Alex McCutcheon as he was recently tabbed an Honorable Mention All-American by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) as announced last week.The southpaw was one of just two Crossroads League players to earn All-America honors. Caleb Eder of IWU was the only other league foe to claim a national spot – also on the HM team.
HUNTINGTON, Ind. - Each year an Academic Excellence Award is given to the HU athletic team with the highest team grade point average for the year. The women's tennis team claimed the top spot for 2018-19 with a team GPA of 3.725. "I want to congratulate all of our student-athletes for their outstanding academic performance on the year," said HU athletic director Lori Culler.
HUNTINGTON, Ind. - The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has announced its 2019 spring sport Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athletes and included are 16 Huntington University student-athletes representing eight different teams.In order to be nominated by an institution's head coach, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and must have achieved a junior academic status to qualify for this honor.
GULF SHORES, Ala. – Eight Foresters represented Huntington University at the 2019 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships where they turned in impressive performances with senior Aspen Dirr headlining Coach Childs' crew. Dirr anchored the women's 4x800 meter relay team that won their heat in the trials to earn a spot in the finals where they finished seventh to earn All-American honors. The squad in addition to Dirr, included Jessica Chojnacki, Mara McFarland and Molly Mitchell, clocked in at 9:19.04. HU was one of three Crossroads League teams to earn All-American badges in this relay.
HUNTINGTON, Ind. - Eight Foresters will represent Huntington University at the 2019 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships slated for May 23-26 at Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium in Gulf Shores, Ala.No stranger to the national stage, senior Aspen Dirr will be making her second trip to NAIA Track & Field Nationals, her first coming this winter at the 2019 Indoor Championships where she collected a pair of All-American badges by claiming third in the 1,000 meters and fifth in the mile.
At the Peoria Chamber of Commerce 100th Anniversary and Awards Banquet on June 14, Peoria Mayor Cathy Carlat announced that this year’s Mayor’s Award recipient is Huntington University Arizona!
The Mayor’s Award is one of several annual awards that honor businesses, organizations and individuals who have a positive impact on the Chamber of Commerce and the Peoria community. Every year, the Chamber asks the mayor of Peoria to select a recipient for and present the Mayor’s Award.
Mayor Carlat selects her chosen recipient by focusing on those businesses, organizations and individuals who have an exceptional impact on the community, elevate the community and serve Peoria’s residents well.
“Receiving the Mayor’s Award on behalf of Huntington University Arizona was really exciting and encouraging,” said Jeff Berggren, director of Huntington University Arizona operations. “Our mission as a Christ-centered university is to be active in our community and partner with a number of organizations to help bring positive changes. This is an important calling even when things are going well, as is the case with Peoria’s leadership and the growth of the city.”
“Huntington University is an incredible community partner,” said Mayor Carlat. “Since opening their doors in Peoria, the HU Arizona team has stepped up and involved themselves in many ways, by supporting our City and supporting many non-profits throughout the Valley. I’m grateful they made the decision to become a part of our Peoria family, and it is an honor to present them with the Mayor’s Award. Congratulations, HUAZ!”
“The city has been such a wonderful partner,” said Berggren, “and to have Mayor Carlat recognize our partnership in this manner is such a meaningful statement to our faculty, staff and students. In fact, it inspires us to do even more!”
Huntington University Arizona opened its doors in 2016, welcoming students seeking a degree in digital media arts. The facility, a 30,000 square-foot building, houses bachelor’s degree programs in animation, film production, broadcast media and graphic design. The facility features film and TV studios, high-end computer classroom/labs, private editing suites, a state-of-the-art TV control room, Foley pit, a host of EFP and cinema cameras, and lighting gear for student production work.
The Ware Plant Science Production Facility at Huntington University is expanding its production from soil-grown flora and fauna to plants grown in water, thanks to the addition of an aquaponics system this semester.
“Huntington University continues to look for ways to strengthen the presence of food and agriculture in the northeast Indiana regional economy,” said Dr. Sherilyn Emberton, president of Huntington University. “Having an educational aquaponics system located in HU’s Ware Plant Science Production Facility allows faculty and students hands-on experience with the integration of the two.”
The aquaponics system will provide opportunities for students of the natural sciences to learn more about plant life, aquatic life such as fish and bacteria, aquatic agroecosystems and innovations in food production. Students will also be involved in the care and maintenance of the system, planting and harvesting plants and feeding fish.
An aquaponics system replicates what happens in nature when plants grow on the surface of a pond. Each system contains water, fish, naturally-occurring bacteria and plants. Plants grow in a media bed that keeps them afloat but allows roots to float freely in the water below. Although plants and fish in a pond can grow simultaneously without human interference, an aquaponics system in a greenhouse first requires a human to feed the fish. The fish then produce ammonium-rich waste; the bacteria convert the ammonium into nitrates that provide food for the plants. They, in turn, filter the water for the fish. In short, by feeding the fish, agriculturalists are able to raise food for themselves.
Aquaponics systems are similar to hydroponic systems in that they are both soilless ways to grow plants. While hydroponic systems require the addition of a carefully-regulated chemical combination to the water, however, the fish and bacteria in an aquaponics system naturally produce all the nutrients plants need to grow. As a result, an aquaponics system can use less water and requires less regulatory testing than a hydroponics system.
The current educational aquaponics system at Huntington University was donated by Fort Wayne Metals. With the capacity to hold 300 gallons of water, this system has an estimated value of $2,600.
Huntington University is pleased to announce the names of the ten students who will serve as Front Line Foresters in 2019-2020. The upcoming academic year will mark the eighth anniversary of the Front Line Forester program, which began in 2012 as a way to represent the student body and what it means to be a Forester.
“I am very excited to be announcing this new group of Front Line Foresters,” said Kay Schwob, director of development. “They are the student ambassadors to our trustees, alumni and friends of the university. The students serve by hosting and showing appreciation to donors with thank you calls and letters.”
Incumbent Front Line Foresters include:
The goal of the Front Line Forester program is that the Front Line Foresters would grow in character and professional and leadership skills as they interact with various professionals and fulfill their duties as student ambassadors. They will have opportunities to develop gratitude and interpersonal skills and gain an introductory understanding of philanthropy and the workings of the Advancement Office and the university.
“This vibrant group of students will act as hosts and hostesses at events such as HU Foundation breakfasts, participating in prayer ministry luncheons, hosting Homecoming and donor dinners and welcoming the Board of Trustees to meetings,” said Schwob. “They are a very vibrant and talented group of young men and women.”
During the annual Celebration of Service luncheon on May 28, Huntington University President Sherilyn Emberton announced the 2018-19 Staff Member of the Year: Kay Schwob, director of development.
“Kay is a true example of what it means to be a Forester. She excels at everything she tackles,” said Stephen Weingart, vice president for University Advancement. “She played a major role in helping me get up to speed and learn what it means to be a Forester.”
Schwob has been a member of the Huntington University staff for 18 years. Her time as a staff member has encompassed various roles, including director of the Enterprise Resource Center for 14 years, senior director of advancement operations and interim director of advancement. In each role, Schwob has demonstrated strong leadership abilities as well as a willingness to serve others.
Choosing the annual staff member of the year is a joint effort of Huntington University faculty, staff and the senior leadership team. Faculty and staff nominate the recipients who they feel are deserving of the distinction, then the senior leadership team selects the recipient from the list of recommended nominees.
Psychology, social work, sociology and criminal justice students from Huntington University recently attended the annual Butler Undergraduate Research Conference in Indianapolis. On April 12, these students presented research projects alongside fellow undergraduates from a variety of disciplines and universities.
The HU students presented research projects they had designed and conducted in teams as part of a two-semester social sciences research methods course. This year’s research topics included fundamentalist religiosity and mental health, pornography use and relationships, altruism and empathetic concern, bullying, birth and spiritual disciplines.
“While this was the first experience these students had with designing, conducting, and presenting research, they represented HU well and learned a lot in the process,” said Dr. Rebekah Benjamin, associate professor of psychology. “It was great for students to see what other students across the state and country were doing as well.”
Lake Sno-Tip is even more beautiful after the addition of two new fountains over the summer, bringing the total number of fountains on the lake to three.
There are ecological benefits to having three fountains on the lake, in addition to the aesthetic benefits. Fountains provide aeration, improving oxygen levels in the water that will benefit the creatures and plants that live there.
“Fountains aren't just a decorative addition to small lakes like Sno-Tip,” said Adrienne Funderburg, Huntington University biology alumna and current Research Coordinator for the Lily Center for Lakes and Streams. “They can also positively impact the lake's health. Fountains circulate deep water to the surface, replenishing oxygen at the lake bottom and keeping surface water in motion to discourage algae growth.”
Funderburg conducted research on the health of Lake Sno-Tip last year and concluded that fountains would be a worthwhile investment.
“In the lake health study I performed in 2017,” said Funderburg, “I saw evidence that deeper points in Lake Sno-Tip are low in oxygen, which allows muck to build up and reduces living space for fish and other animals. I hope the additional fountain will help combat these effects and be a blessing to Sno-Tip and all that live in and around it.”
One of the brand-new fountains was made possible through the generous donation of Dr. Lars and Kathy Andersen, longtime supporters of Huntington University. Both Andersens attended Huntington University, and Lars is a 1969 alum.
The Andersens’ 50-year romance began at Huntington University when they met on the first day they were on campus together. Although they are both from Lansing, Michigan, they attended separate United Brethren churches and had not knowingly crossed paths. From that day on, however, their lives would never be the same. In addition to a budding relationship with each other, they were building a relationship with their university.
Today, Huntington University holds a special place in both of their hearts, and they think other alums feel the same way. No matter how long a Forester has been away from campus, memories come flooding back the moment alumni catch a glimpse of familiar sights like Becker Hall and Lake Sno-Tip.
“We feel a connection with it every time we’re here,” said Lars. “There’s such a great atmosphere when you get to campus – you can feel the Christian atmosphere.”
“It’s always a nice place to come back to,” added Kathy. “Anyone who attended here feels a connectedness here.”
After studying at Huntington, the Andersens moved back to Michigan and were not closely connected to the university for a few years. By the 1990s, they had become more active in the university’s governing societies. Lars joined the President’s Advisory Council on Excellence (PACE) and later served as Alumni Board president for two years. Today, he is a member of the Board of Trustees.
Returning to campus for the October 2018 Trustees meeting, the Andersens had their first opportunity to see the fountain at work on Lake Sno-Tip. They were pleased to see all three fountains on the water.
“They make the lake look very inviting,” said Lars.
Although not everyone has the opportunity to donate a fountain to their alma mater, the Andersens believe supporting Huntington University is important because it allows the university’s mission to endure. As a result, students will continue to graduate and impact the world for Christ through scholarship and service.
Being a Forester, the Andersens agree, means that you are part of a family that will stick with you no matter where life takes you after graduation.
“[Huntington University’s] size allows you to be involved in more activities,” said Lars. “On a big campus, that doesn’t happen.”
“It’s more like a family,” said Kathy. “When you come back, you see a lot of familiar faces.”
Lars, for example, bumped into one of his former coaches on a previous trip to campus. Such spontaneous reunions have taken place between Foresters across the glove for generations, and with the continued support of alumni and friends like the Andersens, they will continue long into the future.
“As an HU alum,” said Funderburg, “I'm thankful to see my alma mater supported in its growth and development, and as an alum now working in environmental science, I'm especially excited to see this support extended not only to HU's academic programs, but to campus's natural spaces as well.”
Lars has a similar perspective.
“It’s nice to see how people support the university,” said Lars. “I want to see it keep going and see more alumni involved.”
Two years ago, unusual circumstances prompted a group of transfer students to become lifelong members of the Forester Family. When ITT Technical Institute closed in September 2016, Huntington University announced that it would accept transfer credits from students wanting to complete their degrees. Several former ITT Tech students who had been pursuing associate degrees in nursing decided to take HU up on its offer and enrolled in the university’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program.
This May, nine members of the nursing graduates from the Class of 2019 will be former transfer students from ITT Tech: Elena Andorfer, Courtney Boley, Ariana Ellis, Eunice Hahn, Tammy Hamilton, Katina Kline, Daphne Musser, Karissa Oldham and Malorie Thompson.
“I can’t express how happy I am that God guided my path to attend HU,” said Hamilton. “I am graduating with a knowledge in nursing that I don’t believe I would have received had I went anywhere else. The curriculum and instructors have pushed me to be the best new nurse that I can be, and they have given me the tools to do it. My faith has strengthened and has grown immensely, and I owe it all to HU.”
While their path to Huntington University was unique, these soon-to-be grads found the same home at HU that students have cherished for over a century.
“The moment we stepped foot in the HU grounds, it felt like home, like were meant to be here,” said Hahn. “I had never felt so included and as part of a community as I have in HU. In fact, we all fit in so well that one wouldn’t differentiate between the original HU and the transfer students.”
Professors and classmates have become family, helping one another on the rigorous journey to becoming a nurse and completing the HU degree program.
“Our professors are the most knowledgeable are highly qualified in their field of study,” said Hahn. “They give us knowledge in our field but also in our faith. They genuinely care about us all and want the best for us.”
“The road has been long and hard,” stated Hamilton. “HU has challenged me to be the best me I can be, and there has been self-doubt and a lot of tears, but in the end, I wouldn’t change anything about this journey, because I ended up here, right where I was supposed to be.”