Class Notes

Rev. Dr. Sondra (Riley) Cave and her husband, Rev. Bob Cave, are retiring from full-time ministry after leading Faith Chapel, a multi-site Assembly of God church based in Overland Park, Kansas, after 33 years. Sondra continues to serve as a leadership consultant for Gallup, specializing in StrengthsFinder assessment and application.

Glenn McFarland was promoted to Regional Vice President for Extended Stay Franchises at Choice Hotels International. Glenn resides in Turlock, CA.

Jonathan Oyler was confirmed a PhD in Chemistry & Forensic Science at the age of 66 from Nottingham Trent University, England.

James and Pamela (Dempster) King were married on July 30, 2025.

Donna (Lynn) Young earned her Doctor of Education degree from Trevecca Nazarene University. She currently teaches in the Denver area.

Andrea (Herman) Chakravarti is retiring as a family physician at Catholic Health Initiatives in Omaha, Nebraska.

Dr. Jon D. North was elected as the sixth President of MidAmerica Nazarene University. Read the story here. He is the first alum elected to serve as President in the university’s history. He will begin serving MNU in this capacity on July 1, 2025.

Jonathan Hoffman was recently hired as a marketing manager for Newly Wed Foods in Chicago.

Heath Olson is now the Vice President of Claims at Bear River Mutual Insurance, which has a long history of commitment to policyholders and customer service. Heath is a great fit!

James Abbott married Jennifer (Betts ’08) on August 31, 2025.

Nathan Drake was promoted to Professor of Mathematics at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, OK.

Michael and Sarah (Merryfield) Lowenberg have been called to serve as missionaries for the Church of the Nazarene. Their first assignment will be at Africa Nazarene University in Nairobi, Kenya, where Michael will be serving on the ministry faculty and Sarah will serve as an associate chaplain. 

Jeremiah Hayes was promoted to the rank of Captain in the Saline County Sheriff’s Department. He lives in Salina, KS.

Kenneth Nelson earned his Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership degree from Grand Cand Canyon University. He specialized in organizational development.

Michael Scrivani is now Dr. Michael Scrivani, as he earned his Doctorate of Ministry from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in May 2025. He currently serves as Senior Pastor for Highland Park Baptist Church in Bartlesville, OK.

Jennifer (Betts) and James Abbott (’02) were married on August 31, 2025.

Cody (’09) and Tina (Summers) Kraemer gave birth to a baby girl, Camryn Grace, on August 14, 2024.

Josh and Micalla Weinstock gave birth to a baby boy, Whitaker David, on July 12, 2025.

Logan and Megan (Love) Farney gave birth to a baby girl, Tylee Marie.

Cody and Tina (Summers ’08) Kraemer gave birth to a baby girl, Camryn Grace, on August 14, 2024.

Shawn and Lindsay (Boss) Conklin gave birth to a baby boy, Shawn Michael, on July 31, 2025.

Dr. Will Darter was honored with the Small School Leadership Award from the National Association of School Superintendents. This award reflects the commitment, resilience, and collaboration that define strong leadership in small and rural school communities. It affirms the belief that size does not limit impact when vision, trust, and service lead the work. Dr. Darter also authored the book, The Empowered R.U.R.A.L. Education Leader, which promotes, supports, and inspires leadership in rural education with a framework that sustains purpose-driven, faithful, and effective service to schools, students, and rural communities. He currently serves as school superintendent for the Everton R-3 District in south central Missouri near Springfield.

Eli and Ashley (Kyle ’11) Stewart welcomed a girl, Jordyn Emerson, on November 6, 2024.

Brandon and Andria Owen gave birth to a girl, Goldie Kay, on January 22, 2025.

Eli (’10) and Ashley (Kyle) Stewart welcomed a girl, Jordyn Emerson on November 6, 2024.

Ben and Laura (Hamblin) Allison gave birth to a baby girl, Kennedy French, on July 30, 2025.

Jonathan Jost was named the Athletic Director of the Week by the Kansas Interscholastic Athletic Administration Association in January 2026. Jonathan serves as the AD at Blue Valley High School in suburban Kansas City. He previously served as an assistant football coach and head track coach before transitioning to AD in 2025.

Hunter and Hannah (Atwell) Lareau gave birth to a baby boy, Jules Joel, on August 2, 2025.

Jon and Tyler (Sparks ’16) Runyan, gave birth to a baby girl, Sophie, on December 10, 2024.

Brandon and Tara (Welsh ’13) Smith gave birth to a baby girl, Khaleesi’Ann Lynn, on July 3, 2025.

Joshua and Lauren Transmeier were married on April 25, 2025.

Montez and Quincy Willis gave birth to a baby boy, Elias Lamar.

Brent and Jennifer (Costa) Beley gave birth to a baby girl, Hayden Virginia, on May 20, 2o25.

Brycen and Melinda (Bond) Van Buren gave birth to a baby girl, Lorraine Joy, on May 5, 2025.

Brandon (’12) and Tara (Welsh) Smith gave birth to a baby girl, Khaleesi’Ann Lynn, on July 3, 2025.

Austin and Kassidy (Ritchel) Chuning gave birth to a baby girl, June Kay, on March 25, 2025.

Killian and Sarah Edinger gave birth to a baby boy, Jameson Mackenzie on June 2, 2025.

Stephanie (Forbes) Griffitts was promoted to HR/Fiscal Services at the new campus of Tennessee College of Applied Technology in McMinnville, TN.

Jules Kilson, MAC published The Grief Project (Kendall Hunt Publishing) in December 2024. The book chronicles her own grieving process after the passing of her father, as well as stories from others on the same journey. She hopes the book will help those who are grieving.

Nathan and Hilary (James) Miller gave birth to a baby boy, Shepherd James, on December 27, 2024.

Brandon Newton and his wife, Allie, welcomed their baby boy, Jalen Jordan, into the world on September 5, 2025.

Alexander and Blaire (Patrick ‘15) Prince gave birth to a baby girl, Daphne Lane Prince, on March 25, 2025.

Audrey (Roth) Weaver and her husband, Tim, welcomed their daughter, Annabelle Lynn, into the world on August 29, 2025. Audrey was also named the 2025 Alumna of the Year during MNU’s Homecoming & Family Weekend in October.

Trevor and Rachelle Cherryholmes gave birth to a baby boy, Grayson Allen, on March 25, 2025.

Michael and Edith (Dolphin) Foster gave birth to a baby girl, Sasha Reina, on July 8, 2025.

Matthew and Julia (Willis) Lexa gave birth to a baby boy, William Roy, on April 26, 2025.

Brandon and Tessa (Faltermeier ’17) Nelson gave birth to a baby girl, Marlowe Jane, on November 23, 2024.

Kaley (Flack) Poindexter had a year recently and wanted to share the news: She married Michael Poindexter on September 3, 2023, and they welcomed a son, Samuel Watson, into the world on August 23, 2024. She says she feels incredibly blessed by both!

Alexander (’14) and Blaire (Patrick) Prince gave birth to a baby girl, Daphne Lane Prince, on March 25, 2025.

Angel and Krista (Fischer) Sigui gave birth to a baby girl, Grace Victoria Sigui, on December 13, 2024.

Greg and Tasha (Miller) Stevenson were married on January 8, 2026.

Justin and Trishelle Vargas were married on December 28, 2025.

Krista (Joersz) Beltran is now the Controller with Hotel Management & Consulting Inc. She and her husband, Alvie, reside in Olathe, KS.

Taylor Brown earned her Master’s degree in Public Health.

Nick and Brittanie Chapman gave birth to a baby girl, Annalise Louise, and May 1, 2025.

Sean and Annie (Huff) Dilley tied the knot on May 31, 2025.

Carter and Madi Pankrantz gave birth to a baby girl, Harper Ellie, on August 8, 2025.

Jarvis Rhone was chosen by the Kansas Department of Commerce to represent Kansas at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress, connecting with international leaders to promote the state’s startup ecosystem and innovation economy. He advocated for inclusive entrepreneurship, built global partnerships, and brought back insights to support local business growth and economic development across Kansas.

Jon (’12) and Tyler (Sparks) Runyan, gave birth to a baby girl, Sophie, on December 10, 2024.

Benjamin and Jaime Sukraw gave birth to a baby girl, Saylor Jeanne Marie, on July 30, 2025.

Conor and Anastasia (Weissenbach) Coleman gave birth to a baby girl, Gwendolyn Poppy, on December 16, 2024.

Caleb and McKenzie (Groves ’18) Coulter gave birth to a baby girl, Chloe CarolAnn, on July 16, 2025.

Emily Krohn graduated from Creighton University with a Doctor of Nurse Practice and will begin her career as a nurse practitioner.

Jesse and Lydia (Reyes) Montenegro welcomed their baby girl, Eliana “Ellie” Rose, into the world on November 25, 2024.

Brandon (’15) and Tessa (Faltermeier) Nelson gave birth to a baby girl, Marlowe Jane, on November 23, 2024.

Riley and Sydney (Knight) Blomenkamp gave birth to a baby girl, Emery Jo, on December 24, 2024.

Jaque (Huck) Cornelius started as a Licensed Professional Counselor at Willow Emotional & Relational Health in Gardner, KS.

Caleb (’17) and McKenzie (Groves) Coulter gave birth to a baby girl, Chloe CarolAnn, on July 16, 2025.

Andrew and Jill Dages gave birth to a baby girl, Anderson “Andy” Mae, on January 29, 2025.

Shelby Frans completed the requirements for her Doctor of Medical Science degree from the University of the Pacific. Congrats, Dr. Frans!

Seth and Melinda (Crow) Hadley gave birth to a baby boy, Jackson Charles, on April 25, 2025.

Stacey Hodges was recently appointed to the Marriage & Family Therapy Advisory Committee of the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board. She is a Program Manager for Marriage and Family Therapy within VA Eastern Kansas Healthcare Systems.

Zach and Avery (Sunnarborg) Lawson gave birth to a baby boy, Edmond Otto, on August 15, 2025.

Lauren (Pope) and Steven Massey gave birth to a baby girl, Halston Ray, on September 3, 2025.

Joe and Kelsey Northup were married on October 26, 2024.

Chace and Hannah (Bostic) Owen welcome a girl, Kennedy Taton Owen, on August 10, 2024.

Eric Shaw was recently promoted to Multimedia Designer at SVL Inc. in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Matthew Smith now serves as the Production Manager at Oro Valley Church of the Nazarene in Tucson, AZ. OVCN is currently the largest Nazarene church in America.

David and Briana (Hindle) Suermann gave birth to a baby girl, Audrey Elayne, on October 26, 2024.

Drew Simon and Lauren Wegley-Simon, MAC gave birth to a baby girl, Ellen “Ellie” Adele, on April 20, 2025.

Hudson and Audra (Burns ’21) Welty gave birth to a baby boy, Titus Keith, on December 6, 2024.

Katelyn Anderson is working as a Digital Marketing Sales Executive for the local NBC affiliate in Omaha.

Andy Cornelius recently accepted a position to serve as an English teacher at Spring Hill (KS) High School. Andy continues to serve on the MNU Alumni Council and chairs the Communications Committee. He and his family reside in Gardner, KS.

D. Luke Elam and Kayla Elam were married on March 25, 2025.

Shay Foster was promoted to Lead Live Event Technician with Blue Fox Productions, where he is starting his Year 2.

Nicholas and Emilee (Couch) Gardner were married in Olathe, Kansas on October 4.

Kameron and Tessa (Ward) O’Donnell gave birth to a baby girl, Joelle Olivia, on August 7, 2025.

Alissa Patterson adopted a son, Levi James Patterson, on March 17, 2025.

Michal Riha was promoted to Senior Compliance Officer & Deputy Chief Compliance Officer at Standish Compliance Services.

Tyler and Bethany (Freeman ’21) Crane gave birth to a baby boy, Rudy Carter Crane, on January 28, 2025.

Jacob Decker was promoted to Compliance and Bank Secrecy Act Officer at First National Bank in Cimarron, Kansas in October 2025.

Issam and Kendrianna (Fulce Travis) Mellouki welcomed their son, Zakariah Amir, into the world on August 27, 2025.

Rachel (White) Pache earned the status of ultramarathon runner. An All-America distance runner as an MNU student, Rachel has continued to expand her limits, while serving as a nurse in Texas.

Joe and Jayden (Newbold) Savage celebrated the birth of their daughter, Evelyn Rose, on October 8, 2025.

Landon and Claire (Yourdon) Shepherd were married on May 17, 2025.

Griffin and Kirsten Sikes were married on August 5, 2025.

Clayton and Rebecca (White) Cook gave birth to a baby boy, Bennett James, on May 2, 2025.

Tyler and Faith (Eisele) Collins gave birth to a baby girl, Clove Valentina, on February 14, 2025.

Tyler (’20) and Bethany (Freeman) Crane gave birth to a baby boy, Rudy Carter Crane, on January 28, 2025.

Tristan and Grace (VanDusen) Engelke were married on December 21, 2024.

Jennifer (Ferguson) Harris published her first book, You Can’t Be Like Jonah: Twelve Hundred Miles to Obedience, under her pen name, Jennifer Jaye. Available now on Amazon, a percentage of the book sales supports missions and ministry.

Thomas and Haleigh (Johnson ’22) Miller gave birth to a baby boy, Shepherd Thomas, on March 15, 2025.

Sharon (Snyder) Rodriguez gave birth to a baby girl, Emerson Rose, on August 19, 2025.

Jacey Smith, MSM secured a valuable internship with the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League, which develops future talent for the NHL’s Dallas Stars. Jacey will focus her efforts on Game Operations.

Mikayla Ussery was recently promoted to Special Education Resource Teacher in the Shawnee Mission (KS) School District.

Hudson (’18) and Audra (Burns) Welty gave birth to a baby boy, Titus Keith, on December 6, 2024.

Nicholas and Emilee (Crouch) Gardner celebrated the birth of their daughter, Eleanor Joann, on December 5, 2025.

Denzel Mena completed the requirements for his Doctorate in Physical Therapy and graduated from the University of Kansas. Dr. Mena is now a physical therapist at Lightning Performance Solutions in Kansas City.

Thomas (’21) and Haleigh (Johnson) Miller gave birth to a baby boy, Shepherd Thomas, on March 15, 2025.

Graham and Bethany (Allison ‘24) Mills gave birth to a baby boy, Benjamin Allen, on December 12, 2024.

Sarah (Jost) Rathbone is a graphic designer with the Olathe, KS Public Schools and recently celebrate her one-year work anniversary serving the district.

Graham (’22) and Bethany (Allison) Mills gave birth to a baby boy, Benjamin Allen, on December 12, 2024.

Daniel and Stormi (Matthews) Albertson were married on July 3, 2025.

Evan and Leah (Taylor) Knight were married on May 11, 2025.