A Lot is Happening at Cedarville University
- Cedarville Creates Three-Year Worship Degree Option
- Cedarville Student Is 3-Time National Yo-Yo Champion
- Embassy Honors Cedarville Student as "Student Ambassador of Year"
- Cedarville Named a Top Ohio Nursing School
- Kennedy Center Honors Cedarville Theatre Production
- Cedarville Research Could Impact Cancer Treatment Development
- The President's Award for Academic Excellence Given to Cedarville University
- HeartSong Uses Technology to Reach Thousands of Listeners Monthly
Cedarville Creates Three-Year Worship Degree Option
Cedarville University has created a flexible and even more affordable three-year option for students seeking a Bachelor of Arts in worship degree.
“The program is identical to the four-year plan in content and expectations,” said Dr. Roger O’Neel, assistant chair of worship. “This is not really a new program, but a three-year adjusted schedule that could help students compress their classes. We have tried to be strategic in helping students see how they can graduate early.”
The plan is comprised of six semesters and two summers where students will take between 14 and 17 credit hours. Most general education requirements are taken during the summer, leaving time to work on major core requirements during the school year.
The new plan is a perfect fit for students who are transferring into the program or have already completed some college credits in high school. Graduating early means lower costs for students, leading to less debt upon graduation and earlier employment opportunities.
Cedarville Student Is 3-Time National Yo-Yo Champion
As a yo-yo aficionado, Cedarville University student Philip White most likely knows that his favorite hobby is often a metaphor for an up-and-down, unpredictable pattern of life. But White’s champion status in the sport has become as predictable as the sun rising each day. He earned first place for the third year in a row at the 2017 U.S. National Yo-Yo Contest October 6-8 in Chico, California.
From 2015-17, White won the championship in the offstring division, a style of yo-yoing where the toy is not attached to a string. The national contest, run by the National Yo-Yo League and sponsored in part by Duncan Toys, has five divisions based on different styles.
His behind-the-back and around-the-leg moves, rapid-fire style and 20-foot-high tosses and and catches capture “oohs” and “ahhs” from fans.
“This year was the 25th anniversary of the National Yo-Yo Contest, so this win is especially meaningful to me,” said White, a sophomore computer science major from Schenectady, New York. There was no cash award for his big win, just the satisfaction of achieving a lofty goal in a hobby he loves.
White and his older brother Gordon began yo-yoing when they were kids. “My parents gave my brother and me some classic Duncan yo-yos that came with trick CDs,” he said. “Gordon and I learned all those, and then my younger brother, Stuart, found some more tricks on YouTube.” Once he mastered some of those, he was hooked and began to create new yo-yo tricks and combinations.
White said he practices about an hour a day and sometimes uses the Cedarville University racquetball courts, which are more conducive to tricks where the offstring yo-yo flies high in the air. “I work as hard as I can to grow this talent that God has given me,” he said. “God gives us everything for a purpose. I’m not exactly sure how he wants to use this, although I’m looking at possible overseas missions opportunities.”
Till then, White will continue honing his skill. And, next year, he will have a fellow yo-yo devotee on the Cedarville campus, brother Stuart. “Stuart competes, too, and has won state competitions,” White said.
White plans to enter the 2018 National Yo-Yo Contest and 2019 World Yo-Yo Contest in Cleveland, Ohio.
Embassy Honors Cedarville Student as "Student Ambassador of Year"
Rachel Leake, senior Spanish education major from York, New York, has been named “Ambassador of the Year 2017” by SiS: Study in Spain, an education service of the Embassy of Spain-Trade Commission Miami.
Leake traveled to Valencia, Spain, to take part in a study abroad program for her sophomore year. She was seeking a way to become more fluent in Spanish and jumped at the opportunity to spend an entire year in a Spanish-speaking country.
“I loved getting to know so many people from different countries and seeing the dynamics of another culture,” said Leake. “I loved my professors, who were so intentional, my host mom, who invited me home with her for Christmas, and the opportunity to worship with other believers at a Spanish church.”
After returning home, Leake was contacted by the director of Institute of Spanish Studies, where she had studied in Spain. He suggested she apply to be a student ambassador with the Spanish Embassy of Miami, promoting the study abroad programs in Spain. Leake applied and was accepted, volunteering as a student ambassador from January through August 2017.
During her time as a student ambassador, Leake created blog posts, set up an informational table, hosted an event and posted on social media. She won “Best Student Ambassador” three of eight months in the program, then was selected as “Ambassador of the Year 2017” and won the grand prize of a week trip to Spain, which she will take this summer.
“This honor is well-deserved,” said Barbara Loach, senior professor of Spanish. “The experience Rachel had with Cedarville's study abroad program in Spain was truly life-changing for her, enabling her to grow in her understanding of other cultures and deepening her walk with God. She embraced the experience and people in a way that gained her this recognition as student ambassador that only a few U.S. university students attain. Our students continue to benefit from her experience as she shares her love for Spain and prepares for her student teaching experience this year.”
“Spain holds a very special place in my heart,” said Leake, “I grew so much in my year of study there and it really prepared me for where I want to go in life. I can’t wait to go back.”
Cedarville Named a Top Ohio Nursing School
Cedarville University’s school of nursing was recently named one of the top nursing schools in Ohio by third-party website Zippia.
The ranking was based on graduates’ mid-career earnings, the school’s emphasis on nursing and students’ median amount of debt. Cedarville was listed 10th on the list. Ohio State University is listed atop the list followed by Case Western Reserve University, Ohio University, Ohio Northern University, and Malone University.
“Our programs are academically rigorous, equipping students with the abilities necessary to provide high quality health care in a dynamic and complex health care system,” said Angelia Mickle, dean of the school of nursing.
Grounded in biblical truth, Cedarville’s four- or three-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing program prepares students to deliver compassionate care that meets both the physical and spiritual needs of patients. The program also provides students opportunities for diverse clinical experiences and medical missions trips.
Cedarville also offers online graduate programs where students can earn a Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) with specialization in either family nurse practitioner, global public health or nurse educator. Students can also earn a Graduate Certificate in Global Public Health Nursing or Nursing Education.
Kennedy Center Honors Cedarville Theatre Production
The Kennedy Center American Theater Festival recognized Cedarville University’s fall production, “The Diary of Anne Frank,” with five certificates of merit and two Irene Ryan Acting Award nominations.
T.L. Denen, junior theatre major from Xenia, Ohio, received a certificate of merit for her sound design; Remy Patterson, senior theatre major from St. Johns, Michigan, for his dramaturgy work; Samantha E. G. Partridge, sophomore theatre major from Lansing, Michigan, for stage management; Dr. Diane Conrad Merchant, professor of theatre, for directing; and the entire cast for ensemble acting.
“All of the participants in the production of this show are incredibly honored to be recognized by such a prestigious organization and grateful for the opportunity to represent Cedarville University,” said Merchant. “All involved gladly welcomed the chance to use their gifts in service to the kingdom, and praise God for the honor of serving him with our talents.”
Awards were given on the recommendation of Professor Kimberly Borst of Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio, who attended the performance as a respondent representing the Kennedy Center and the American College Theater Festival.
“Getting a certificate of merit resulted in me simultaneously feeling satisfied, accomplished and ridiculously excited,” said Denen. “I’ve been working really hard to get involved in theatrical productions, and for my first major involvement to be so well received is incredibly meaningful to me.”
“Being the dramaturg for this production was such an interesting experience,” said Patterson. “It was very important for the cast to understand the events that led to the families going into hiding. It was also key to know who the characters were historically, along with Anne’s perception of them. I was very honored to be recognized for all of the research I compiled.”
“I was very excited to find out that I received a certificate of merit for stage management,” said Partridge. “The show was very demanding, with around 160 cues to call each night, so I was honored to be recognized as having done my job with excellence.”
Gabrielle Bauman, senior theatre major from Springfield, Ohio, and Stephen De Jong, senior theatre major from Alma, Michigan, received Irene Ryan Acting Award nominations with Heather Lange, senior theatre major from St. Cloud, Florida, as an alternate.
“Nomination for the Irene Ryan is an honor,” said Bauman, who played the title role. “Working on such a serious show, I am so happy to know Anne's joy and courageous spirit came across in an enjoyable and memorable way.”
“The Diary of Anne Frank” sold 2,441 tickets, becoming one of the best-selling Cedarville fall theatre productions in recent years.
Cedarville Research Could Impact Cancer Treatment Development
Seven Cedarville University students hope their research findings will contribute to developing cancer treatment. The molecular and cellular biology students, under the direction of professor of biology Dr. Heather Kuruvilla, plan to submit two research papers for publishing within the next few months.
The students studied Tetrahymena thermophila, single cellular organisms with cilia on their membranes that are often model organisms for research. The projects specifically focused on how Tetrahymena functioned with proteins known as Netrin-1 and Netrin-3, which are used in the human body to signal development of branched tissues.
The first research project primarily focused on protein determination and the physical effects of netrin-1 treatment, and the second focused on the effect of netrin-3 proteins in mitosis, or cell division. While much is already known about netrin-1, this will be the first paper published on netrin-3 in seven years.
“My hope is that our paper will spark further research on netrin-3,” said Bethany Khol, a senior molecular and cellular biology student and lead author on the paper. “Most existing research has focused on its role in the nervous system during development, but we suspect it may have other roles in the body.”
In their research, the students found that netrin-3 stops cell division, which can be medically significant if it stops the division of cancer cells like it stops the division of Tetrahymena cells.
“Cancer treatment research is already looking at netrin-1, but there are potential treatments from netrin-3 if they start looking at it as well,” said Kuruvilla. “It wouldn’t kill cancer, but it could slow it down.”
The students involved have also benefited immeasurably from the research process.
“Researching for Dr. Kuruvilla for two years has allowed me to gain valuable experience in the lab and has enabled me to take my book knowledge and apply it to real-world situations,” added Kenneth Ward, a senior molecular and cellular biology student.
Projects such as these not only teach students valuable lab techniques and scientific methods, but also allow them to make meaningful contributions to science before finishing their undergraduate education.
“We didn't study the latest potential cancer treatments or flashy drug regimen,” said 2017 alumnus Matthew Merical, who now works as a contract cellular biologist for Advanced Testing Laboratory. “But our work is a necessary step in general research, so we can know as much about the world as possible.”
The President's Award for Academic Excellence Given to Cedarville University
Cedarville University is one of 32 NCAA Division II member schools to earn the Presidents’ Award for Academic Excellence.
The recognition honors institutions for achieving four-year Academic Success Rates (ASR) of 90 percent or higher. This is the seventh year of the program.
Cedarville finished tied for 14th out of 325 DII schools in the country with an ASR of 93 percent.
The ASR is the percentage of student-athletes who graduate within six years of initial collegiate enrollment and includes virtually all Division II student-athletes, including transfers and those not receiving athletics scholarships.
“Cedarville University is pleased to receive the NCAA President’s Award for Academic Excellence again this year,” remarked Dr. Thomas Mach, Vice President for Academics.
“It represents the caliber of student-athlete in our programs, the support of coaches who encourage them to find the proper life balance, and the commitment of faculty to facilitate to the holistic impact of a well-rounded college experience.”
Two other Great Midwest Athletic Conference institutions - Hillsdale (96) and Findlay (90) - were also honored with ASR’s of at least 90 percent.
The Federal Graduation Rate (FGR) computes the percentage of student-athletes, who earned their degree in the six-year window from the 2010-11 academic year through 2015-16. CU is tied for 14th nationally in FGR at 76 percent.
“At Cedarville, we seek to honor the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ by pursuing excellence in the classroom, in the athletic arena, and in all of life,” Mach added. “I am particularly impressed by our students who put in the hours and exercise the discipline needed to represent Cedarville in their athletic and their academic pursuits.”
Highlights:
CU student-athletes tied for 14th in the country in Academic Success Rate (93%) thus earning the Presidents' Award for Academic Excellence for the fifth straight year.
Yellow Jacket student-athletes tied for 14th nationally among 325 Division II schools in Federal Graduation Rate (76%).
Division II student-athletes continue to graduate at a higher rate than the general student body.
While CU is at 76%, the federal rate for the 2010 entering class of student-athletes held steady at 56 percent compared with 50 percent for the general student body.
HeartSong Uses Technology to Reach Thousands of Listeners Monthly
Cedarville University’s outreach band HeartSong uses online music streaming services to reach thousands of listeners every month. HeartSong had 45,544 song streams on Apple Music and 257,004 on Spotify in the past three months, as well as an average of 19,200 monthly Spotify listeners.
Online music streaming services are searchable worldwide, allowing people to hear HeartSong music without knowing much about Cedarville. People from all around the world stream HeartSong music, including a ministry in Brazil that requested to use a HeartSong piece in their program.
“Music has a unique way of telling the story of who someone is, so we try to make sure that our music is theologically rich and culturally relevant to the people that we are ministering to,” Jim Cato, associate vice president of Christian ministries, said. “We are very intentional about our doctrine, but we are also working to engage and be relevant to the culture we live in.”
HeartSong also expands Cedarville’s presence. “We talk a lot in HeartSong about communicating the livable reality of the gospel as seen through genuine worship,” he said. “In doing that, it helps expand the university’s presence because we are in step with what the university is.”
In addition to their technological platform, HeartSong travels on the weekends during the school year and 10 weeks every summer to various church camps and youth retreats. During the 2016-2017 season, HeartSong performed for 31,730 people, including 20,876 campers. They partnered with camps and saw 979 individuals accept Christ during that time.
