The Spring 2010 issue of Accent Magazine has been mailed to alumni, friends and donors of MidAmerica Nazarene University. The magazine is available in a "flip book" technology on the Alumni Relations section of the MNU web site. Go to the Alumni Relations site, or click on Spring 2010 Accent. PDF copies of the magazine may be downloaded from this site.

The Spring magazine includes a feature article on the development and achievements of the university's Nursing Programs, which received a $100,000 grant for nursing scholarships from the prestigious Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. MNU nursing recently launched an Accelerated Master of Science in Nursing program, in addition to its Bachelor of Science in Nursing options and its RN to BSN program.

Other articles included in the Spring 2010 issue:

• Construction begins on the medical clinic in Guatemala, the 2009-10 "Passion to Serve" initiative
• New web form for referring prospective students to MNU
• Goals and progress for the University Fund that continues through April 1
• The profile of MNU included in the Kansas City Business Journal in January
• MNU contributions to Haitian earthquake relief
• Updates and outlook for MNU athletics

Accent magazine is published by MidAmerica Nazarene University three times per year, and mailed free to alumni, friends and supporters.

Phone: (913) 971-3586
Alumni News: accent@mnu.edu

Address changes to:
Accent Magazine
MidAmerica Nazarene University
2030 E. College Way
Olathe KS 66062-1899

Alumnus Kevin Garber has been named director of alumni relations for MidAmerica Nazarene University, effective April 1, according to Dr. Ed Robinson, president. The Baldwin City, Kan., resident and business owner brings more than 20 years experience in sales, event planning, and program development to the position.

Garber sees his new position as friend raising for MNU.

“I envision myself as the friendly face of MNU to thousands of alumni,” Garber says. “Being a business owner has given me a broad perspective, and that will help me relate with alums. My goal is to be very visible and connected to people, developing and nurturing relationships with alums around the world.”

Garber is active in both the Baldwin City and Olathe Chamber of Commerce. He is the owner of Three Sisters Inn Bed & Breakfast and KSK Products & Photography Services in Baldwin City. Previously Garber was senior sales representative for Taylor Publishing Company and served three years at MNU as director of conference services. His experience includes providing event planning and coordination for the Church of the Nazarene as the Kansas City District Coordinator for Nazarene Youth Conference, a quadrennial international event, and for the Global Ministry Center of the Church of the Nazarene’s 2009 Nazarene Missions International quadrennial conference.

Active in a number of organizations, Garber has served as a board member and treasurer for the Kansas City Urban Youth Center, and the Kansas City District Youth Council. He has also been a member of the Kansas City District Church of the Nazarene Advisory Board and the Kansas City District Nazarene Youth International Camp Board. He is an active member and volunteer at Central Church of the Nazarene in Lenexa, Kan.

An alumnus of MNU, Garber graduated with a B.A. in management and accounting in 1989. Since graduation he has volunteered with MNU’s Autumn Auction and Homecoming, among other events, and has served as a Board of Trustees member. As a student at MNU, Garber was yearbook editor, senior class president and a member of Heritage Choir.

“Kevin’s enthusiasm for MNU is infectious,” says Jason Drummond, vice president for university advancement. “He has been promoting MNU since he was a student and he has never stopped. We are delighted to have him on the team.”

Garber and his wife Shawna, an alumnus of the MNU class of 1995, have two sons, Matthew and Michael.

MidAmerica Nazarene University, founded in 1966, is a private, liberal arts university offering more than 40 undergraduate degrees and adult degree completion, as well as five professional graduate degrees in business, education, and counseling, and a post-graduate certificate in play therapy. In Fall 2009, MNU adopted its Priority initiative, emphasizing enhanced facilities and increased capacity for undergraduate and graduate students. MNU is located on a 105-acre campus in Olathe, Kan., and operates a location in Liberty, Mo., for adult and graduate programs. MNU is the home to Bell Cultural Events Center, Olathe’s premiere venue for fine arts performances.

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General Information: www.mnu.edu

MNU facts:

• MNU enrolled more than 1,750 students last fall.
• Although more than 33% of MNU students are of the Nazarene denomination, more than 30 other denominations are represented in the student body.
• MNU has offered innovative, accelerated adult degree completion and graduate programs for more than 20 years.
• MNU grants approximately 20 Associate of Arts degrees and more than 400 bachelor’s and graduate degrees yearly.
• The yearly economic impact of the University is more than $50 million, not including expenditures by students and campus visitors.

 

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More Information:
Michael Johnson
(913) 971-3584
mljohnson@mnu.edu

 

            Olathe’s Mayor, Michael Copeland, will play the role of Mayor Shinn in MNU’s production of The Music Man, April 8-10 at Bell Cultural Events Center on the campus of MidAmerica Nazarene University.

            The original musical comedy, set in 1912 Iowa, tells the story of conman Harold Hill and the staid, small-town, Midwesterners he intends to cheat out of money he solicits from them to form the town’s marching band. Hill, not actually a musician, convinces most of the town he has the skill to direct the band.

            All the well-known favorites such as Seventy-Six Trombones, Trouble, and Till There Was You will be performed by the 60-member cast of students and community members.

            MNU Theatre director, Rhonda Carlson, opened auditions for the show to members of the Olathe community. “There’s a whole town in the story of The Music Man, so we are including people from our whole town,” she says. “We’re so excited to have our own Mayor Copeland play Mayor Shinn. He does a fantastic job. You’ll really enjoy seeing him in this role.”

            Choreographed by Suzanne Ryan, and accompanied by a full orchestra directed by Mary Jane Wilder, Ph.D., the show features many groups such as teens, a barbershop quartet, and comedic ladies. The set will feature a full size gazebo constructed by student set-builders under the direction of set designer, Joey Condon.

            The Music Man is presented in one matinee on April 7 at 10 a.m. and at 7:30 p.m. on April 8-10. Tickets are $15 for adults, $5 for students and children; all tickets $5 for April 7 matinee. Half-price adult tickets are available for groups of 15 or more. For more information contact the Bell Center box office at (913) 971-3636 or e-mail bellboxoffice@mnu.edu. Bell Cultural Events Center is Olathe’s premier venue for the performing arts. Bell Center activities are listed online at www.mnu.edu/bellcenter.

            MidAmerica Nazarene University, founded in 1966, is a private, liberal arts university offering more than 40 undergraduate degrees and adult degree completion, as well as five professional graduate degrees in business, education, and counseling, and a post-graduate certificate in play therapy. In Fall 2009, MNU adopted its Priority 2014 initiative emphasizing enhanced facilities and increased capacity for undergraduate and graduate students. MNU is located on a 105-acre campus in Olathe, Kan., and operates a location in Liberty, Mo., for adult and graduate programs.

 

Note: Due to scheduling difficulties, Mayor Copeland will not perform in the April 7 matinee.

 

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General Information: www.mnu.edu           

Bell Center Information: www.mnu.edu/bellcenter

 

MNU facts:

·     MNU enrolled more than 1,750 students last fall.

·     Although more than 33% of MNU students are of the Nazarene denomination, more than 30 other denominations are represented in the student body.

·     MNU has offered innovative, accelerated adult degree completion and graduate programs for more than 20 years.

·     MNU grants approximately 20 Associate of Arts degrees and more than 400 bachelor’s and graduate degrees yearly.

·     The yearly economic impact of the University is more than $50 million, not including expenditures by students and campus visitors.

      A contest is underway for one year of free room and board for fall 2010 freshmen at MNU. One male and one female student will each win the scholarship for a year of room and board, valued at $6750, in a drawing to be held on May 7 by the university's admissions office. Director of admissions, Warren Rogers, will draw the entries from the drum of one of MNU's new energy-efficient clothes dryers. The dryers and matching washing machines were installed in all residence halls last fall and are free for on-campus residents' use.
      To be entered in the contest, students must pay their admissions deposit of $200 by May 1. The deposit saves a spot for the student's housing and course schedule. Students who pay the deposit by April 1 will be entered in the contest twice, doubling their chance to win.
      "This is an added incentive to complete the enrollment process early," says Caleb Pierce, admissions counselor. "Besides the chance to win, completing the process means students will have priority for class scheduling and housing assignments."
      More information about the contest is at www.mnu.edu/incoming-freshmen, or contact admissions at 913-971-3380.

For the fourth-straight year, a MNU basketball player has been named the Heart of America Athletic Conference Player of the Year. Senior guard. Brenton Bell joins Adam Hepker (2007, 2008) and Danny Hawkins (2009) as the 2010 recipient of the conference award.

In women’s basketball, for the fourth time in five years, a MNU player also was named HAAC Player of the Year. Senior Bethany Rexroth joins Jenna Matson (2006, 2007, 2008) in receiving the award.

Bell, an Olathe native, led the Pioneers in scoring (21.2 points per game), assists (3.97), steals (1.93), and blocks (0.73).

Rexroth, from Lenexa, averaged 18.6 points per game (2nd in HAAC), 9.1 rebounds (3rd), and 3.0 blocks (1st) per game. Her blocked shot numbers ranks her sixth in the nation. She was named NAIA National Player of the Week twice in the 2009-10 season and also was HAAC Player of the Week three times.

More information on MNU Athletics at www.mnusports.com

 

Dr. John Leavitt is a visiting guest professor and choral director at MNU this semester. Leavitt, a Kansas native, is a composer and conductor who has taught at Friends University in Wichita. His music for choir, orchestra and keyboard is performed throughout the country and has been heard in 30 countries across the globe.

Leavitt holds a bachelor's degree from Emporia State University, a master's degree from Wichita State University and a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

The International Church of the Nazarene has announced though Nazarene Compassionate Ministries a way for people and individual churches can help in Haiti.

Donation for Haiti Earthquake Relief can be made online via a secure server via Nazarene Compassionate Ministries at www.ncm.org.

Checks can be marked "Caribbean Disaster Response ACM1204 "and mailed to
Global Treasury Services
PO Box 843116
Kansas City, MO 64184.

MidAmerica Nazarene University, through its ServiceCorps initiative, is partnering with Heart to Heart International to assist in the Haiti earthquake crisis. In addition to donating the money already designated for Haiti, the cam will be collecting Crisis Care Kits.  You can contribute to these kits two ways:

1.       Complete a Crisis Care kit. Get together with your
division/school, friends, co-workers, etc. to create a complete kit. Check
out this link for EXACT instructions on what can/cannot go into a kit.
http://www.hearttoheart.org/PDF/CareKitSheet.pdf

2.       You may donate individual supplies for the kits: (All supplies
must be new.)

• hand towels
• washcloths
• wide-tooth combs
• small bottles of shampoo
• new individually wrapped toothbrushs
• travel size tubes of toothpaste
• adhesive bandages
• individually wrapped bath size bars of soap
• plastic travel soap dishes
• one-gallon size zipper seal bags

"If you choose to donate individual supplies, please bring them by the MNU
ServiceCorps Office in Campus Center by Friday, Jan. 29," says Alison
Weinstock ServiceCorp coordinator. "It's important we not add any other
items, because the contents of these kits have already been approved for
customs clearance."

For More Information on "Care Kits"
Alison Weinstock
MNU Service Corps
mnuservicecorps1@mnu.edu
(913) 971-3541

            The MNU women’s soccer team was recently awarded the National Soccer Coaches Association of America 2008-09 Team Academic Award for earning a combined average GPA of 3.46.  A total of 582 soccer teams (146 men, 336 women) won the award by posting a team grade point average of 3.0 or higher. MNU appears on the list with KU, Auburn and Marquette University to name a few.
            MNU’s women Pioneers are coached by Rocky Orton. Team members are:
·        Alanna Russo
·        Becca Skillman
·        Gabby Werlein
·        Savannah Lamar
·        Rebekah Blankenship
·        Abbey Swift
·        Nicole Ferguson
·        Kelsey Collins
·        Brittany Matthews
·        Taylor Howell
·        Elizabeth Petersen
·        Ashton Bergh
·        Holly Christensen
·        Kate Williams
·        Kim Russell
·        Alyssa Howard
·        Becky Curnutt
·        Chanel Evans
·        Elysse Jones
·        Rebecca Armfield
·        Rebecca McAndrew
 
            Based in Kansas City, Kan., the NSCAA is the largest coaches' organization in the United States.

 

www.mnusports.com

Moving Ahead in 2010: MNU offers $75 Discount for Degree Completion Programs

Working adults who desire to complete that college degree want it all: convenience, flexibility, financial assistance and a track record of successful delivery of degrees. Since 1988, that’s exactly what MidAmerica Nazarene University has achieved. MNU has innovative programs that are proven effective and quick to complete – many in just one year.

Now MNU has added an incentive: no $75 application fee -- a $75 discount -- towards its accelerated "bachelor degree" completion programs.

“We find there are many out there who know they want to go back to school, but are a bit uneasy about getting started," says Director of Communications Michael Johnson. “By waiving the application fee for our innovative degree-completion programs, more people can go back to school."

The University is removing the normal $75 application fee for its bachelor’s degree completion programs when enrollment is completed by February 1.  The discount applies to MNU’s B.,A. in Management and Human Relations as well as the B.A. in Public Administration.

“Typically, working adults are surprised to find they can still get financial assistance to go back to school, even in these difficult economic times,” Johnson says. “At MNU, we know how to show them the options."

Student loans through various programs also are available at MidAmerica Nazarene University and a majority of adult students use them to pay for at least a portion of their degree. Universitywide, about 96 percent of students qualify for financial aid.

For more information about any of the degree programs for adults and graduate students, visit www.mnu.edu/adult or call (913) 971-3277 in Kansas and (816) 407-3072 for the Liberty, Mo., site.

MidAmerica Nazarene University, founded in 1966, is a private, liberal arts university offering more than 40 undergraduate degrees and adult degree completion, as well as five professional graduate degrees in business, education, and counseling. MNU is located on a 105-acre campus in Olathe, Kan., and recently opened a location in Liberty, Mo., for adult and graduate programs including the RN-BSN program. MNU is the home to Bell Cultural Events Center, Olathe’s premiere venue for fine arts performances.

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MNU facts:
• 535 students graduated from MNU in 2009, approximately two-thirds from adult and graduate programs
• MNU enrolled 1,778 students in fall 2009
• MNU achieved a 96% retention rate for first-year students in the spring 2009 semester.
• More than 30 denominations are represented in the student body; 33% are Nazarene.
• MNU has offered innovative, accelerated adult degree completion and graduate programs for more than 20 years.
• The yearly economic impact of the University is more than $50 million, not including expenditures by students and campus visitors.

General MNU Information: www.mnu.edu

The latest  issue of MNU's Accent magazine is now available. The Fall 2009 Accent contains news and information about MNU, along with a special section for updates about our alumni. The online version of the magazine is available at the link below, or go to our Alumni & Friends web page.

Accent Magazine Fall 2009 (Online)

Accent magazine is published three times per year by MidAmerica Nazarene University and is mailed free to alumni, friends and supporters of MNU.
Alumni news can be e-mailed to: accent@mnu.edu
Address changes to:

Accent Magazine
MidAmerica Nazarene University
2030 E. College Way
Olathe, KS 66062-1899