< Previous20 FOCUS WINTER 2020 A new Master of Arts in Learning Technologies was launched at Andrews University in fall 2019—a first for the Adventist church in North America and the first Adventist program of its kind worldwide to be fully accredited at its start. This professional degree prepares digital educators to design and facilitate inclusive online and blended learning environments for K–12 students, adult learners, and lifelong learning in a variety of contexts. Digital educators prepared in the Learning Technologies program will be able to leverage the technologies available to them in order to succeed in the rapidly changing 21st century classroom. In addition to core courses on Adventist philosophical foundations and assessment and teaching, pro- gram participants choose from classes including Trends and Issues in Educa- tional Technology, Digital Storytelling and Visual Learning in a Diverse World, Assisting Special Needs Learners with Instructional Technology, and Digital Collaboration and Citizenship. Graduates of the program may serve as classroom teachers, curriculum spe- cialists, teacher educators, educational/ instructional technology specialists, directors of digital learning, instruc- tional technology consultants, and researchers. JANINE LIM, program director, views the program as fulfillment of a lifelong dream. While she was a graduate stu- dent at Andrews University in the fall of 1996, Janine asked for an interview with Jim Bembenek, the director of ed- ucational technology at Berrien County Intermediate School District, now called Berrien Regional Education Service Agency. Based on her experience work- ing as a student training students and faculty to use email and the internet, she asked him who would train the teachers to use technology in the class- room. That provided an opportunity to participate in an internship at Berrien County ISD. She visited K12 schools in the tri-county area and connected their computers to dial-up internet. In the summer of 1996, she assisted in teaching a week-long workshop to teachers. When she returned to Andrews in the summer of 1997, Janine’s hope was to teach Bible at Andrews Academy. No positions were open there, but Berrien County ISD created a new position, which Janine was offered and accepted. Two weeks later, the Andrews Acade- my Bible teacher position opened up. Janine says, “I’ve always seen this as a clear sign that God wanted me to work and learn in the educational technology field to benefit Adventist education.” Janine worked at Berrien RESA for 14 years as an instructional technology consultant. She also served Adventist education through the Adventist Virtual Learning Network (AVLN) during that time. AVLN offered several courses in educational technology, specifically designed to complement the Adven- tist higher education institutions who taught basic educational technology courses. For almost 20 years, Janine has had a dream to provide a master’s degree in educational technology for the Adventist church. Ever since she began serving as associate dean for online higher education at Andrews in 2011, she has focused on building the online program. During the 2018–2019 academic year, the time and resources finally came together. MICHAEL GAYLE, assistant professor for the Department of Teaching, Learning & Curriculum (TLC) and Curriculum and Learning Design Specialist for Digi- tal Learning & Instructional Technology (DLit), has been interested in learning technologies for many years. As a mid- dle/high school music teacher in the early 2000s, he created a music tech- New Professional Degree Offers Technology Expertise by Janine Lim and Michael Gayle “Technology is an area that my staff often have questions about—whether it’s looking for new resources to diversify their teaching or finding tools to help streamline their busy workload.” Jai DubynaJanine Lim & Michael Gayle Andrews University ANNUAL REPORT 21Academics nology curriculum and lab at the St. Andrews Episcopal School. He also taught religion and philosophy classes where, in the days before social media, his students were blogging and having online conversations about their experiences with religion. In 2004, Michael began work at the State University of New York at Buffalo. He and his new team wrote grants that brought together social justice, technology and college access. Students from local high schools came to the university where they learned how to use digital media tools to address social issues in their communities. The students made films and participated in political actions such as advocacy in the State legislature, social protests and community organizing. Michael continued in the field of digital technology—including the design of an online platform to support the delivery of online digital resources for the Pennsylva- nia Department of Education. Jai Dubyna is one of the first students in the MA in Learning Tech- nologies program. As a child, she viewed teachers as heroes—people who could transform lives and truly work to improve their community. Shortly after high school graduation, she spent a year as a student missionary in Micronesia and taught Grade 5. “That first year of teaching solidified in my mind that God was directing me into the field of education,” she says. For most of her teaching career, Jai has been a junior high teacher at College Heights Christian School. She has a passion for giving students mul- tiple opportunities to try new things, especially in the area of technology. In particular, Jai appreciates using Google Suite to help students and staff get organized, collaborate with each other, and share what they have learned. Recently, Jai became the assistant superintendent of micro-schools in the Alberta Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. “I tend to lead by serving, and my job is to support and encourage my staff much the same way I formerly encouraged my students,” she says. “Technology is an area that my staff often have questions about—whether it’s looking for new resources to diversify their teaching or finding tools to help stream- line their busy workload.” Jai sees the Learning Technologies degree as an opportunity for infor- mation, strategies and philosophies to broaden her knowledge and abilities related to improving the learning programs at each school. She hopes to en- hance the learning experience for students while incorporating technology into the classroom and, as a result, to better serve the families her students represent. Especially as an administrator, she feels it is important that she understand how to best use technology in education. As for her experience in the program so far, Jai states, “I am excited about the courses that make up this degree, as they are very relevant to Adventist education today. Dr. Lim has done an amazing job at maintaining the flow of communication and giving me personal support and guidance.” Jai encourages interested educators to consider the degree. She says, “The courses in this MA are relevant to today’s learners and teachers. This is a great opportunity to understand how technology can impact and change education.” STUDENT HIGHLIGHT For more information, visit andrews.edu/go/malt . As he transitioned to work fulltime in the Adventist school system, he realized there was a need for teachers and students in Adventist schools to have the same types of opportunities he had in other institutions. “To learn the tools and tech- niques of digital technology and then, in turn, to use those tools and techniques to share God’s love and His call to salvation is a great gift,” Michael says. Michael met Janine Lim and Luana Greu- lich, chair of the Department of Teaching, Learning & Curriculum, in spring 2018. He sensed that God might have a place for him at Andrews to contribute to their work. In January 2019, Michael moved to Andrews to work in DLit and teach in TLC. Within a few months, Janine asked Mi- chael if he would be interested in writing courses and teaching in the new Learning Technologies program. Michael, of course, said yes. 22 FOCUS WINTER 2020 MISSION & SERVICE Reflections from the Front Lines I SMILED WARMLY AT THE WOMAN sitting across from me. Her name was Chou, and she was a teacher at one of the Seventh-day Adventist schools in Cambodia. Our team had flown over 4,000 miles from Ethiopia to now serve in Cambodia for a week. Throughout the day, we were putting on trauma education and intervention presentations for over 100 Cambodian and Vietnamese Adventist teachers, but here and there we were meeting with the teachers one-on-one. Our goal was to help the educators better understand the effects of trauma on children’s learning and behavior and to give them helpful guidance on how they could best support their students. Many of the teachers had been young children during the time of Pol Pot’s mass genocide: from 1975–1979, when one-quarter of the entire population of Cambodia was killed by its own government. Older and younger generations alike still carry the trauma of this experience with them, sometimes knowingly and sometimes not. Thus, our sec- ond goal on this trip was to subtly provide supportive attitudes and tools to help the teachers them- selves experience healing from their own trauma. “How have you been feeling?” I asked Chou. “Until coming here, I was very sad. But now, I am happy.” Chou beamed a big smile at me. I smiled back. “I’m glad to hear you are happy now. May I ask about what was making you feel sad before coming here?” She nodded and began telling her story. “I have three children. My husband and I have to work very hard to feed and care for our family. But a few months ago, my sister got sick and died.” “Oh, Chou, I’m so sorry to hear that.” Tears began welling up in her eyes. “It was sad to lose her, but she also had two children: a 4-year-old and a baby. The children had no- where else to go, and so I have been caring for them. It has been so hard for my family these last few months. It was difficult caring for my family before, but now it has only gotten worse. I have been so stressed these last few months and I haven’t known what to do.” I nodded empathetically. “It sounds like you have been In August of 2019, a team of professors, students and alumni from the School of Social Work’s newly established International Center for Trauma Education & Care, in partnership with ASAP Ministries, embarked on a two-continent mission to teach people about the effects of emotional trauma upon the mind and body. The team first flew to Ethiopia to work with Eritrean refugees, a severely persecuted people group. Then they left for Cambodia to help Adventist educators become trauma-informed. Here are two stories from participants on this trip.Andrews University ANNUAL REPORT 23Mission & Service OUR SMALL TRAUMA TEAM ARRIVED IN Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in early August with many tools but one message: we serve a God that has given us a powerful ability to heal from past hurt and pain. We traveled around the world with this message of hope and a simple prayer that God would open doors of opportunity for us to share it. I was listening intently to the couple sitting across from me. We had just spent the last hour speaking of their adult daughter who had died of cancer in their arms only a month ago. We sat in awe as the stories of this woman were retold, her parents beaming with pride, even through the pain of their loss. We spoke of the process of mourning, of allowing oneself to feel the hurt of such a tragic loss, and the importance of that expression in our process of healing. “Our goal is not to forget,” I told them, “but in time, our goal is to remember those who have passed with love instead of pain.” The father, his face becoming stone as tears threatened to escape his eyes, was quiet. The mother, whose overwhelming love for her daughter showed with each word she spoke, began to explain the cultural tradi- tion for a family in mourning. “When someone in your home dies,” she said, “other family members come to spend time with you, to comfort you and to cook for you. But now that it has been over a month, our family members have returned to their homes, and now we are alone.” She made eye contact with my colleague AJ O’Carey, who had partnered with me in this session, and then her eyes met mine. “And just as our family begins to leave, your team arrived.” She smiled softly, but her eyes shone. “I know for sure that you have been sent to us by God at this time to bring us peace.” I remember sitting there for a mo- ment, stunned. I remember feeling my eyes tear up. As I silently praised the Lord in my head, I remember feeling grateful, overwhelmed and humbled. Of all people, Lord, you chose me. Despite all my wrong and all of my sin- fulness, you chose me. We speak often in our team about God allowing us to act as co-workers with him, giving us the blessed opportunity to experience His wonderful works. As we embraced the couple, our spirits renewed, all I could think was I am so excited to meet their daughter when we get to heaven. Jasmin Wilson, School of Social Work Alumnus, 2019 stressed and worried about caring for your family and in the process have had to grieve your sister, too. That seems difficult.” “But coming here has been very good,” she replied brightly. “Why is that, Chou?” “During this training, I have learned many good ways of helping students, but I have also learned how to help my- self. I feel like a weight has been lifted off my chest. I can smile and laugh again. I know times will be hard, but I also know God has given me ways for healing. I praise God that he brought you here, if only just for me, because I have hope again.” Throughout the course of our time in Cambodia, we had the joy of instructing these wonderful men and women on how to promote emotional healing in their lives and the lives of their students. But wherever we go, the greatest joy always comes simply from seeing God’s message of hope spread— and it is always an honor to partner with God in seeing that happen. Katelyn Campbell, MSW/MDiv student24 FOCUS WINTER 2020 py clinics for refugees from Iraq and Syria as well as the local population. Kevin participated on several of these short-term mission trips to Lebanon and served there as a student missionary for almost a year. “Sometimes it helps to get some distance from your culture,” says Kevin. “The more I interacted with people who have different beliefs and lifestyles, the more I gained perspective and gratitude for my own ethnic heritage and my own theological heritage as a Seventh-day Adventist.” As a student missionary, Kevin taught Bible for grades 1–12 at the Adventist School Bouchrieh. “My experience in Lebanon showed me just how small I was and yet how great of an impact I can make when serving God,” he says. “I learned that you can’t just give cut and dried answers to the complex questions people have. You develop deeper empathy and you dig deeper for substantive answers.” Kevin’s experiences in Lebanon were formative in preparing him for ministering in Oceanside, California. “Anything you can do to support missions at Andrews is worth it; it is a great investment in the transforming experiences that missions brings into students’ lives,” he appeals. Since 1990, even before his mission trips with the religion department, Glenn Russell partnered with Andrews Universi- ty, Pioneer Memorial Church and agencies such as REACH International to introduce young adults to missions. Over the years, these mission partnerships in Lebanon, Romania and Honduras have led to church plants, numerous baptisms and hundreds of decisions for Christ. Russell’s doctoral research on short- term missions established that Adventist short-term missions, which are biblically based and missiologically informed, are among the top five most transformative experiences for college students. Experi- ential learning is as valuable as research. Effective short-term missions, then, can have a long-term impact on future ministry as well by providing participants with new skills, widened perspectives and a strong dependence on Christ. Christine Tedjasukmana Lee, Andrews alum (BA ’03) and maternal child health professional development education con- sultant for Kaiser Permanente in southern California, went on several mission trips to Romania with Russell while at Andrews. “My perspectives and professional goals were shaped by my interactions with the children and by observing the staff at the Casa din Padure children’s home operated by REACH International. These experiences inspire and motivate me in my work today,” she says. “I am forever grateful for those transformative mission opportunities.” In 2000, Friendship Teams began their work at the Hogar de Ninos children’s home in Honduras where the teams con- duct day camps for 125–150 children. Joses Ngugi (BHS ’15, DPT ’17) and Eliana Iller Ngugi (BA ’14, MA ’17, EdS ’18) served as camp co-directors at that children’s home. During his six years at Andrews, Joses went on a mission trip to Honduras each December. For five of those years, Eliana also participated. These mutual experiences were instru- mental in their growth as a couple and eventually led to their marriage in 2019. “During the process we knew we were part of something powerful as we invest- ed in the children at the Hogar de Ninos. But we didn’t realize the way it was bond- ing us together as a couple,” says Joses. “That place, those people, have a sacred part of our hearts. We went to have an impact on others, but we were changed most of all,” Eliana adds. “We are forever grateful for the ways our mission experiences in Honduras have profoundly shaped our understanding of the importance of service. Individually and as a couple we’re dedicating our lives to service; we’ve chosen professions where we can make a difference. That’s the most satisfying way to live.” Another alum, Don Magbanua (BA ’16), joined the Friendship Team to Beirut, Leba- non, in 2012. Afterwards he stayed for three months of service at the local mission. “That particular experience planted a seed in my heart—a love for missions,” he says. Don currently lives in Saneh, Yemen, where he witnesses one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises as millions of people suffer the atrocities of war without enough food and clean water. He chose to accept the call to work in Yemen as a result of the passion for missions that he found in Transformed by the Call “I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT MY missionary experience in Lebanon has indelibly made an impact on who I am today. It was truly transformative,” says Kevin Wilson (BA ’14, MDiv ’17), current pastor in Oceanside, California. For the last 20 years the Department of Religion & Biblical Languages has sent a Friendship Team, led by Glenn Russell, chair and associate professor of religion, to partner with Middle East University and the Adventist School Bouchrieh in Beirut, Lebanon. This team partners with the schools to provide campus ministry for both campuses. In 2016 and 2019, phys- ical therapy doctoral students and faculty joined the team to conduct physical thera- Kevin Wilson by Glenn RussellMission & ServiceAndrews University ANNUAL REPORT 25 that first mission trip to Lebanon. Recently a family told Don a story of how their home had been destroyed by the war and they had fled to the mountains and the caves. With deep sadness they told him, “The mountains have been more merciful to us than mankind.” For Don, this was very impactful. “The needs of the world are immense, and God calls us to make a differ- ence. As an Adventist and an alum of Andrews University, I carry this spirit of missions. At the core, Andrews University exists because of J.N. Andrews who said, ‘I’ve heard the call and I want to go and serve the Lord.’ Missions gives students the opportu- nity to experience the world around them and see how God can use them anywhere, even in the most tragic conditions. They can be ambassadors of God’s goodness and God’s mercy.” John Gonzalez (BA ’16, MDiv ’19), now pastoring in Texas, was a key team leader for several mission trips to Lebanon. His experience of mak- ing friends, developing cross-cultural communication skills, witnessing answers to prayer and learning to depend on Christ during these trips helped shape his current ministry. “God’s love is global. If we really understand God’s heart, we will have a passion for missions. God is a missionary God,” he says. “Anything you can do to support missions at Andrews is worth it; it is a great investment in the transforming experiences that missions brings into students’ lives.” Top to bottom: John Gonzalez in Lebanon Interacting with students in Lebanon The PT team in Lebanon 2019 after serving in a refugee camp near Syria26 FOCUS WINTER 2020 MY NAME IS JOSHUA WARD AND I AM completing an MSW/MDiv dual degree at Andrews University. In 2017 I came to Andrews for graduate school after completing my bachelor’s degree in ministerial theology and Spanish from Oakwood University. I chose to pursue this dual degree because I personally grew up within the foster care/ juvenile system. From the ages of 9–14, I was incarcerated within different juvenile and state mental institutions. Therefore, I have a passion for working with people who come from lower socio- economic backgrounds. I am currently doing an in- ternship with the Van Buren County Public Defender’s office, arranged with the help of Twyla Smith, director of field education and assistant professor of social work. My duties include provid- ing advocacy to indigent clients through the following areas: court memos, counseling, therapeu- tic case management, and help finding resources/referrals. One As part of his Master of Social Work advanced internship, Joshua Ward is completing his internship at the Public Defender’s Office for Van Buren and Allegan Counties. This is a new community partner and we are excited about the opportunity students will have to demonstrate and learn the value of a social work perspective in the criminal justice process. That social work perspective is crucial in helping provide context about a defendant’s state of mind, trauma and other mitigating factors that can be taken into sentencing consideration. Manda Mittear, Family Division attorney from the Muskegon County Public Defender’s office, contacted the School of Social Work in 2019. Muskegon County has been using Social Work interns for several years and that success motivated them to develop a similar internship opportunity in Van Buren and Allegan Counties. Changing a LifeAndrews University ANNUAL REPORT 27Mission & Service of the first cases I received involved a client by the name of James*. I believe that my personal background was one of the reasons I was able to connect with him so easily. James told me that I was different from other social workers he had encountered and he could tell I had been through some of the same things he has had to deal with. James is an 18-year-old interracial young man who lives in Allegan County, Michigan. He was convicted of robbery and faced up to 20 years in prison. His lawyer proposed a plea deal to the judge which included three years of probation and entrance into the Holmes Youthful Trainee program, with his conviction being sealed after completion of the program. I worked with James from Oc- tober to December 2019. I would go into his home to provide counseling, help seek employment, and prepare for his court hearing and entry into the Holmes Youthful Trainee program. As a result of my time with the client and his family, I observed many things regarding his psychosocial condition. Some of those observations included the following: James had experienced immense amounts of trauma since early childhood which hindered his ability to think clearly and make sound decisions, hence the fact that he chose to com- mit unarmed robbery. He came from an extremely unstable, single-parent home. His mother was irresponsible, abusive, neglectful and negative toward him. This was evidenced by the fact that James’ two siblings are living with his grandmother because his mother was deemed neglectful and unfit by the state to raise her children. I observed how his mother would communicate with James in a very negative manner. James was instructed by his mother to sell drugs at the age of 14. His biological father has very rarely been in his life ever since he was a child. James also showed me scars on his arm where he and one of his mother’s boyfriends got into fights because the boyfriend was beating the mother and the boyfriend ended up cutting him. These are only a few of the traumatic experiences James has had to deal with. He has lived in a traumatizing envi- ronment since an early age, which has severely affected his mental maturity and growth. James also shared with me that his mother would often kick him out onto the streets even while he was underage. When James committed the robbery, he was homeless and still only 17 years of age, which means that his mother was legally obligated to provide shelter for him, but she refused to do so. Since I’ve worked with James, he has expressed a desire to get his life togeth- er and do something with his future. He has been working to obtain his GED by studying at the local adult education school every Tuesday and Thursday. In order to obtain his GED, he must pass the following subjects: math, social studies, reading/literature, and writing. James is currently working on passing the reading/literature portion of the GED exam. He needs a 150 in order to pass; he has taken the exam twice and improved upon his first attempt. The first attempt he scored a 132 and during his second attempt he scored a 145. He plans on retaking the reading/literature exam on the 12th of this month. He only needs to score 8 more points or higher in order to pass so that he can move to the next section of the GED. He has also been actively searching for local jobs in order to support himself while he is seeking to finish school. After obtaining his GED James plans to attend com- munity college and then attend Grand Valley State University and walk on to the wrestling team. After learning all these things through my interactions with James, I advocated for him in court by writing a memo for the judge, explaining his socio-econom- ic/psychosocial situation. As a result of my memo, the judge ordered that James be accepted into the Holmes Youthful Trainee program and have his records sealed after completing the program. The prosecutor still recommended that James spend six months in jail before being enrolled into the Holmes Youthful Trainee program. However, because of my memo the judge only gave James 16 days of jail time with the opportunity to have his record sealed after completing his court ordered duties. Final Reflections When I first entered my internship, I thought the emphasis would be in the legal arena because I had never pictured a social worker interning at a law office. I initially doubted that a social worker could adequately function within a law office; however, I have an interest in law school, so I was excited to observe how a social worker can function as a part of the legal process. Something that has really impacted me about working as a social worker is the amount of resources and knowledge for people in indigent situations. Unfor- tunately, many of the indigent people do not know how to access the resources available to them. Working at my internship has influ- enced me to want to continue working with at-risk youth and adults through- out my career. Finally, as a result of interacting with me I hope my clients would learn that I am someone who comes from the same socio-economic background as many of them, which means I can sympathize and encourage them to move forward and reach what- ever potential they themselves have. *Pseudonym “He has lived in a traumatizing environment since an early age, which has severely affected his mental maturity and growth.”28 FOCUS WINTER 2020 Elev8 PHILANTHROPY & DEVELOPMENT AT ANDREWS UNIVERSITY, WHEN we state “World Changers Made Here,” we don’t say it lightly. We say it because we look at our alumni and see what they have done that has truly made their communities, their church and the world a better place. We look at our current students and are excited about their potential and our responsibility to help them frame their future so they too will serve in an exemplary way with faith, integrity and passion. And we also look at our future. What priorities and ideas will elevate the University to a new level so we can deepen and broaden our capacity to do what we have done since 1874: educate World Changers? We have envisioned 8 ideas to drive our development plan for the next 8 years. This will be a special 8 years as it includes our 150th anniversary. Our dream: to educate an increasing number of students in increasing ways to respond to the increasing challenge of an increas- ingly demanding and diverse world! We invite you to be part of our dream! 8 ideas. 8 years. Investing in World Changers. Endowments for Student Scholarships Imagine $5 tuition per term. That’s what a student would pay in 1875 to attend Battle Creek College. While Andrews Universi- ty can’t offer these tuition rates in this century, a major initiative is planned to Elev8 the endowment capacity to ensure more students are able to find Andrews Universi- ty education affordable. Endowments for Faculty Chairs The power of faculty endowment is the capacity to attract leaders in a particular field or discipline so An- drews University becomes known for that expertise. Faculty endow- ment allows more time for faculty to engage with students—to impact students in profound ways through teaching and research. Faculty en- dowment brings sustainability and flexibility, deepening the opportu- nities for faculty development and collaborative student learning. Change Through Service & Mission We aim to serve. One new initiative, sponsored by Campus Ministries, is to train and equip a team of students to be mobilized in the field when disaster strikes. We are elevating change through Change Hub, too—an online platform where those in the local and international communities can report needs for service and our campus community can respond quickly. Also, with additional scholarships available, more student missionaries will be able to connect with mission sites and Elev8 hubs of care around the globe. School of Health Professions Accreditations in multiple health pro- fession areas have shown how highly respected our programs are. But we must do more. What about a state- of-the-art simulation lab (SIM Lab), a safe environment for promoting clinical competence? And we need to Elev8 the current nursing and public health spaces, replacing them with new spaces that provide efficiency and opportunities for growth. There is also a plan for new programs such as occupational therapy. A new health professions building will house these programs and more. STEM It is well documented that STEM education thrives on active learning, participation in undergraduate research, and formation of learning communities. Flexible space is needed to accommo- date unforeseen shifts in disciplines, technology and pedagogy. Also needed are spaces for gathering and interaction, where intellectual, social, spiritual and practical exchanges can take place and promote a sense of togetherness. Music Imagine a vibrant Center for Musical Arts that will include a small recital hall, faculty studios, organ studios, practice rooms, music library and specialized classrooms and will complement our world-class Howard Performing Arts Center. The Center for Musical Arts will be an All-Steinway Music Center. It will also house the International Center for Worship & Music. Proposed plans for this new facility include spaces for audio/vid- eo recording, composition creation, and theater productions. Leadership The Center for Leadership will house programs and institutes that reach across the campus, the community and the world. Operating in cooperation with the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, the Center will raise the level of leadership competence through- out the church and within a biblical framework. To achieve this, our goal is to build an endowment that secures the long-term operation of the Center and its capacity to reach a wide audience. Innovation We are underway to Elev8 experiential learning through a Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, an environment where ideas can incubate and launch. The Center comprises four pillars: 1) a 15-credit certificate, 2) industry part- nerships with Fortune 500 companies and start-up businesses, 3) an In-Center think tank, and 4) a Fabrication/Makers Space lab. Students will learn how to be creators not just consumers. Join us as we Elev8 our University to another level in celebration of our 150th year!Andrews University ANNUAL REPORT 29Philanthropy & Development IN 1961, HERALD (BA ’54) AND DONNA (BA ’54, MA ’74, EdD ’77) Habenicht moved to Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, where Herald worked as a pediatrician at the Bella Vista Hospital. During his time there he worked on numerous interesting and challenging cases—the most memorable was Sylvia Nanette Rivera. Nanette, then 10 years old, had gone through two vascular emergen- cies when Habenicht found that the embolus to an artery in her arm was a piece of tumor from her heart. She was quickly airlifted from Mayaguez to Loma Linda, California, for open heart surgery to remove the tumor from her heart. The surgery was successful and in December of 1966, Nanette and her parents, Ramon and Sylvia, spent several weeks recovering in southern California. During this time the Riveras went on several trips to Disneyland and other sites with Herald’s parents, Herald (BA ’34) and Kathryn (BA ’34). After returning to Puerto Rico, the Rivera family was so grateful for the miraculous intervention in their daugh- ter’s life and impressed with Adventist healthcare that they eagerly agreed to Bible studies with Herald Habenicht and his family. Every week the Habenichts would travel the 45 minutes from Maya- guez to San Sebastian to study with the Riveras. These trips marked the begin- ning of a multigenerational friendship between both families. As a result of these Bible studies and exposure to the Seventh-day Adventist understanding of the Bible, Sylvia de- cided to be baptized into the church. At that time, she was a Spanish professor in the local high school and an active member in the San Sebastian communi- ty. Ramon, then president of the electric company workers union, was at first resistant to the church but eventually joined his wife as a member of the local Adventist church. The news of Nanette’s healthcare be- gan to spread around San Sebastian as Sylvia told her students, colleagues and anyone else in town who would listen about her daughter’s care and her own newfound faith. Soon the local Adven- tist church began to grow. There are now numerous churches and a thriving academy in the San Sebastian area. Nanette went on to marry David Ro- driguez and together they have served the Adventist church for over 30 years. Nanette has been the principal of three Adventist academies and a strong supporter of her husband’s ministry as a pastor and most recently as president of the West Puerto Rico Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The friendship between the Riveras and Habenichts continued to grow when Nanette’s brother, Ramon Jr., and the Habenicht’s son, Larry, both attended medical school in the late 1970s and began practicing at the Bella Vista Hospital. Ramon Jr. became a tireless promoter of healthful living both in his internal medicine practice and as a fitness en- thusiast. He started a yearly bicycle trip around the island of Puerto Rico that is still celebrated every year. He also became medical director of the Bella Vista Hospital and was respected and loved by colleagues and patients alike. Tragically he died during the swim of a triathlon in Edmonton, Alberta, in 2015. Larry (BA ’76) and his wife Debbie (BA ’75) spent 14 years working as general surgeon and otolaryngologist at Bella Vista Hospital. In addition to providing excellent medical care, Larry and Debbie extended whole person care to western Puerto Rico through their involvement in health clinics, seminars and sermons at surrounding churches, Revelation seminars, and visiting patients. “The Riveras have been good friends that we have done a lot with through the years and their friendship also serves as a reminder of the privilege, responsibil- ity and benefits of sharing one’s faith in God,” says Larry. The effects of the excellent and com- passionate care that Nanette received have impacted lives throughout western Puerto Rico and beyond. In response, the Habenicht and Rivera families have established the Habenicht & Rivera Endowed Scholarship Award to help spread God’s care to others. This endowment is intended to pro- vide scholarship assistance for students from Puerto Rico (this could include those who come from Puerto Rico, those who have Puerto Rican heritage or have attended school in Puerto Rico) who are enrolled in health professions studies at Andrews University. “Our goal with this scholarship is to support students who have a simi- lar vision of sharing God’s love and making a spiritual difference in lives through healthcare. Today there are hundreds of people in western Puerto Rico who are active church members because Dad felt that it was his mission to offer Bible studies and work just as hard on the Rivera’s spiritual health as on Nanette’s physical health,” Larry says. “We want to do anything we can to promote that attitude and vision of whole person care.” A Vision of Whole Person Care Habenicht & Rivera Endowed Scholarship Award “Our goal with this scholarship is to support students who have a similar vision of sharing God’s love and making a spiritual difference in lives through healthcare.”Next >