A private foundation granted MidAmerica Nazarene University $25,000 for nursing scholarships in January. Designated to support promising nursing majors in the traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, the funds will help MNU retain such students through their senior year. 

Dr. Susan Larson, dean of MNU’s School of Nursing and Health Science says it is heart-breaking to lose a high-achieving, qualified student due to financial stress.

“Many of our students view their pursuit of nursing as a spiritual calling, a true vocational ministry,” Larson says. “They are serving others with the loving hearts and hands of Jesus around the globe. Scholarship support allows our outstanding students to achieve their dream of earning the BSN degree and beginning their ministry of nursing.”

Larson says the new scholarships will be awarded as part of 2012-2013 financial aid packages for nursing majors who meet the designated criteria which includes high financial need and a 3.0 minimum GPA. The foundation granting the scholarships prefers to remain anonymous.

MidAmerica Nazarene University’s Department of Fine Arts will present MNU Heritage Choir and Concert Choir in WINTER SING on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 3:30 p.m. in Bell Cultural Events Center on the MNU campus, 2030 E. College Way in Olathe.

The MNU Choirs will perform a lively program featuring madrigal songs of love from the Renaissance, classic spiritual arrangements, and inspirational songs from the Broadway stage.

Free tickets are available by calling Bell Cultural Events Center Box Office at (913)-971-3636.

The Board of Trustees of MidAmerica Nazarene University elected Dr. David J. Spittal president today following a seven-month search process. Dr. Spittal’s responsibilities will begin February 1. The former president of Southern Wesleyan University in Central, S.C., has a rich background in higher education having served SWU for 17 years and as a vice president and dean at Indiana Wesleyan University for seven years.

Chairman of the MNU Board of Trustees Dr. Larry McIntire says Dr. Spittal’s appointment is the culmination of seven months of exhaustive search for a highly-qualified leader.

“Dr. Spittal has exceptional experience,” McIntire says. “His skill set as the leader of a Christian university and the growth he has achieved for SWU will be invaluable here.”

McIntire thanked the presidential search committee, chaired by Dan Rexroth, for their perseverance in the search process. The fourteen-member committee included Board of Trustees members, faculty, staff and student representatives, as well as an Olathe community member.

“The committee worked for seven months with a search firm to identify qualified candidates,” McIntire asserted. “We sought the input of the campus, the Olathe community, and church leaders. Many well qualified candidates were considered. I truly believe the process uncovered the best leader for MNU.”

Dr. Jim Diehl, MNU interim president, says Dr. Spittal is poised to position MNU for growth and further excellence.

“Dr. Spittal has the experience and skill to take MNU to the next level,” Diehl said. “Essentially he has proven he can do that through his work at SWU. His experience is complete.”

Dr. Spittal and his wife Donna reside in Bourbonnais, Ill., and will make the move to Olathe in the spring. The couple has two children and six grandchildren.

Men's basketball coach Rocky Lamar hit a huge milestone with the Pioneers' 69-57 win over Missouri Valley on January 14, 2012. Read the whole story at: http://www.haacsports.com/article/1614.php. And see KCTV 5 interview with Coach Lamar at: http://www.kctv5.com/video?clipId=6671150&autostart=true.

MNU and Neosho County Community College have signed an agreement to offer MNU’s RN to BSN program on the NCCC campus in Ottawa, Kan.

NCCC has a vibrant associate’s program for registered nurses, many of whom are interested in furthering their education by earning a Bachelor of Science in nursing. The move to offer MNU’s RN to BSN program at NCCC will allow these nurses to continue to the next step in their careers in a convenient location and an accelerated, one-year format.

Allyson Young, department chair of RN to BSN programs at MNU, says the demand for BSN-prepared nurses is high. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services only 33% of RNs begin their career with a bachelor’s degree, while the American Association of Colleges of Nursing states the aging U.S. population contributes to higher demand for nurses who hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree.

According to Dr. Susan Larson, dean of MNU’s School of Nursing and Health Science, the university is acting on suggestions from an Institute of Medicine (IOM) report that encourages schools to develop a seamless path of upward mobility regarding educational advancement.

“We’re eager to build this partnership because we strongly believe in the numerous benefits of educational advancement and we’re supportive of removing barriers and providing a convenient method to achieve this goal,” Larson said.

Classes for MNU’s RN to BSN program at NCCC will begin February 22, 2012.  Two classes will be offered consecutively on Wednesdays with class times from 8 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4:50 p.m. For more information, contact MNU representative Teresa Kolbeck at 913-971-3074.  Beginning Tuesday, January 10, Kolbeck will have an office on the Ottawa Campus located in room 334. The main number for the Ottawa Campus of NCCC is 913-242-2067. 

For more information on nursing education at MNU visit www.mnu.edu/nursing.

MidAmerica Nazarene University will host a survey visit by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education April 2-4, 2012 for the purpose of continued accreditation by the Commission.

The nursing program at MidAmerica Nazarene University was granted approval by the Kansas State Board of Nursing in 1979, accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission from April 1981 through 2003, and accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), the accrediting arm of the Association of Colleges of Nursing, began in 2002. As part of the process of receiving continued accreditation by CCNE, a survey visit will be conducted April 2-4, 2012.

CCNE invites the public to submit, in writing, signed comments concerning the program’s qualifications for accreditation status. Signed comments must be received by CCNE no later than February 1, 2012, for consideration of the evaluation process. CCNE shares comments with members of the evaluation team prior to the April visit, but at no time during the review process are these comments shared with the program. Comments may be sent to:

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530

Washington, DC 20036-1120

MidAmerica Nazarene University has been named a Five Star Champions of Character Institution by the NAIA’s Character Advisory Committee. NAIA member institutions complete the Champions of Character Scorecard which measures the institution’s commitment to Champions of Character in five key areas: character training, conduct in competition, academic focus, character recognition and character promotion. Institutions can earn points in each key area up to a maximum of 100 total points. Institutions scoring 60 or more total points are named Five Star Champions of Character Institutions.

According to MNU athletic director Kevin Steele, the award honors the hard work of players, coaches and faculty.

“We are pleased to be recognized again as an NAIA Champions of Character Five Star Institution,” Steele said. “The five core values championed by the NAIA are woven seamlessly with the MNU mission and our coaches and student athletes do an incredible work in furthering the cause. The countless hours spent in developing the traits that manifest the true champions of character, including the many hours of service to our community, have benefited our students, our university and our surrounding community.”

Additionally, MNU is number 20 out of 98 schools making the 2011-12 NAIA Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup Standings. The Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in up to 12 sports -- six women’s and six men’s.

“Our fall finish in the Learfield Sports Director’s Cup is our highest level that I am aware of in MNU history,” says Steele. “This is an excellent feat for our university.”

MNU’s athletic teams brought the institution three HAAC conference titles this fall in football, volleyball and men’s soccer, with all three teams in national post season play.

Gillett honored at MLK prayer breakfast

The 6th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Prayer Breakfast, held Jan. 16, featured speaker Dr. Elmer Gillett, with remarks from community leaders including Rev. Bobby Love, Rev. Carl Patillo, and Olathe Mayor Mike Copeland. Dr. Gillett accepted the Martin Luther King Jr. Living Legacy award from MNU interim president Dr. Jim Diehl for his career-long servant leadership in the African-American community and for the Church of the Nazarene. Dr. Gillett is the pastor of Brooklyn Community Worship Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., and also serves as the director of Black Ministries for the Church of the Nazarene.

Featured Speaker and 2012 Martin Luther King Jr. Living Legacy Award Recipient

Dr. Elmer L. Gillett, senior pastor of Community Worship Center, Brooklyn, NY, and director of Black Ministries for the Church of the Nazarene. Bio follows this advisory.

Program Highlights:

• Musical selections by Worship Center of Kansas City Praise Team, directed by pastor Eric Cobbins.
• Dramatization by Kosha Johnson & performers.
• Michael Copeland, City of Olathe mayor, and Rev. Carl Patillo, religious affairs chairman of the Johnson County NAACP.
• Celebrate Diversity 2012 award winners*.
• Chris Powers MNU coordinator for diversity and cultural competency: master of ceremonies.

Sponsors:

Presenting Sponsor:  The Sprint Foundation

Major Sponsors:  Chick-fil-A Olathe, City of Olathe, Enterprise Bank & Trust, Olathe Medical Center, Olathe Walmart Supercenter
Precision Printing

Sponsors:  Johnson County NAACP, Kansas City District Church of the Nazarene, Olathe Chamber of Commerce, Nazarene Publishing House

*Celebrate Diversity 2012:

MidAmerica Nazarene University is partnering with the Olathe Human Relations Commission and the Olathe School District to sponsor Celebrate Diversity 2012 an essay, visual arts and multi-media contest open to middle school and senior high students in the Olathe School District, the Kansas State School for the Deaf and Home School Students. The award winners will be honored as part of the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Prayer Breakfast program.

Award Recipient and Speaker Bio:

Elmer Gillett, PhD, was born in Belize in Central America. Mentored by a Nazarene missionary, Richard Cornelius, Gillett sensed a call to preach the Gospel, earning a bachelor's degree in English and religion from MNU in 1979. Gillett also holds a Master of Divinity from Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Mo., and a doctorate from Fuller Theological Seminary. He also completed study in preaching at Princeton Theological Seminary.

Ministering in California and serving in various administrative positions, Gillett took the helm of Brooklyn’s Community Worship Center in 1994. With a vibrant ministry in the Brooklyn community, the church has an attendance of 450 with two Sunday services.

Gillett also teaches at the Metro New York School of Ministry and serves on its Credential's Board.

 He is the director of Black Ministries for the Church of the Nazarene in U.S.A. and Canada.

Gillett is married to Carolyn and they have three children: Ashley, David and John-Paul.

MidAmerica Nazarene University’s training program for sexual addictions treatment providers starts in January 2012, and the program could not be more timely. From prominent athletic coaches and athletes to movie stars and politicians, stories of sexual addiction frequently appear in popular media such as Newsweek, The Huffington Post and morning news shows. A new movie called Shame explores the disorder’s devastating behavior and consequences reminding us that this is not just an issue for celebrities, but a problem in the general population.

Now, MNU will have the only faith-based, university-affiliated certificate program in the nation for professionals helping those with the addiction. Courses are online in order to reach mental health practitioners everywhere. The program takes one year to complete.

According to program director Todd Bowman, PhD, the latest research on the prevalence of sexual addiction reveals that around 37 million people struggle with issues related to the disorder.

“Fifteen years ago, therapists rarely talked about having to address sexual addictions within their practice,” Bowman said. “With the emergence of the Internet and other easily accessible images and experiences, therapists are now talking about 50% of their clientele dealing with sexual addictions as either a primary or secondary issue.”

Bowman says traditional training programs in therapy have not been equipped with the resources to assist in preparing students for effective work with this population. MNU’s program is designed to train post-graduate clinicians from a faith-based perspective to develop the knowledge and skills needed to do so.

Upon completion of the program, graduates will receive their Sexual Addictions Treatment Provider (SATP) Certification.

Bowman adds that faculty members teaching for the program are hand-picked experts from across the country and will give students the most cutting-edge education. It will not unusual for the text book in the class to be authored by the faculty teaching the class.

For more information about the Sexual Addictions Treatment Provider (SATP) Certification at MNU, visit www.mnu.edu/sexual-addictions or call (913) 971-3277.

Jon North, vice president for university advancement, announced today that MidAmerica Nazarene University is the recipient of a 7.5 million dollar gift. This unrestricted cash donation is the largest one-time gift the university has received in its 43-year history. North says the gift represents the culmination of many months of work and is evidence of the donor’s confidence in MNU.
 
“Our donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, has a heart for Christian higher education,” North says, “and considers it a tremendous responsibility to practice good stewardship of what God has provided.”
 
The gift adds to the many positive developments that have occurred at MNU this past year. The university is seeing the benefit of its efforts to allocate resources into high growth areas. University officials say that these decisions have allowed MNU to make progress toward achieving goals stated in the university’s 2010 five-year strategic plan. They cite positive indicators from this fall such as:
·        traditional undergraduate enrollment 5% higher than projected,
·        25% increase in graduate and adult revenues,
·        undergraduate applications up 11% from last year,
·        support from Nazarene churches up 5%,
·        Regional Nazarene churches partnering with MNU for a three-year, $7 million Pioneering the Future campaign for scholarships for Nazarene students, and
·        net income and cash flow from operations significantly up from last year.
 
“This gift is a game changer,” says Kevin Gilmore, MNU’s vice president for finance. “It will allow us to take MNU to the next level by providing an operating reserve that we have needed for several years and reducing our reliance on short-term financing. It will also add to the positive momentum we are experiencing, which we trust will encourage further generous support.”
 
North says the donor considers the university’s mission “to educate and inspire servant leaders,” worthy of this investment, and supports the institution’s vision “to be a premier Christian university with global impact,” adding that through its alumni, students and faculty, MNU has had an impact in 150 countries worldwide.
 
“Our donor has had many years of exposure to MNU and what we do,” North states. “We are so grateful for this amazing demonstration of support that will provide more opportunities to educate young people and adults in a Christian learning environment.”
 
MNU’s interim president, Dr. Jim Diehl, cites three major factors in securing this gift and the university’s positive turn around.
 
“These three factors are the leadership of our administration in making difficult but strategic decisions; the exceptional dedication, hard work, and sacrifice of our faculty and staff over the last two years in adding growth programs while tightening their belts; and God’s divine intervention,” Diehl asserts. The Holy Spirit has moved on this campus this fall. From a significant time of renewal during Spiritual Deepening Week, to securing this timely gift, God shows us once more that He is at work. This is not the first time He has done the impossible at MNU, and now it has happened again.”
 
To learn more about MNU visit www.mnu.edu/give.