Dr. E. Michael “Mike” Grill of Winona Lake, Indiana entered heaven on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 6:15 p.m. after battling leukemia at Lutheran Hospital of Fort Wayne, Indiana at the age of 67.

He was born on November 29, 1945 in Dayton, Ohio to the late Adam Edward “Ed” Grill and Kittie (Myers) Grill, who survives in Winona Lake, Indiana. On August 12, 1967 he married Rebecca Jo Flick, who also survives in Winona Lake, Indiana.

He will be lovingly remembered by his son, Josh (wife Amy) Grill of Winona Lake; one granddaughter Anna, grandson Ethan; and his brother Steve (wife Susan) Grill of Winona Lake. He was preceded in death by his father.

Mike was a long time resident of Winona Lake, Indiana where he lived since his graduation from Grace College in 1967. He earned his master’s degree as well as his doctorate from Ball State University. He served Grace College for 35 years where he was a professor, Dean of The School of Behavioral Science and was an award winning tennis coach. He was presented the Grace College “Alva J. McClain Award for Excellence in Teaching” in 1980.

He was an Elder in the Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church where he was a member for 43 years and he served 16 years on both the Winona Lake Plan Commission and the Winona Lake Board of Zoning Appeals. He was honored with the “Bill Reneker Memorial Community Service Award” in 2006.

Mike was passionate about his relationship with Jesus Christ and about the power of prayer through the Holy Spirit. He loved his family and found great joy in his grandchildren. He was an athlete, and a teacher/mentor to thousands of Christian college students by whom he was truly beloved.

The Lord worked miracles in his life for many years as he faced leukemia, and his life was filled with prayer. He will be remembered for the profound influence he had on his community and in his college as he boldly shared his faith. He was greatly loved, and will be sorely missed, but is happy now with his Savior.

A private service for the immediate family will be held on Friday, March 29, 2013 at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw, Indiana and officiated by Dr. Roger Peugh. Interment will be at Oakwood Cemetery of Warsaw.

At 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 11, 2013 the public is invited to a “Celebration of the Life of Mike Grill” at the Orthopaedic Capital Center, 610 Wooster Road, Winona Lake, IN 46590

Memorial contributions in Mike’s name may be directed to the World Compassion Network, P.O. Box 1152, Warsaw, Indiana 46581-1152…..with which he joyfully shared the gospel of Jesus on numerous international mission trips.

Edit (03/28): Please note that the location has been changed to the Orthopaedic Capital Center.

President-elect Dr. Bill Katip (left), Chairman of the Board Dr. Jim Custer and President Dr. Ron Manahan

President of Grace College & Seminary Dr. Ron Manahan announced Commencement 2013 (May 11) will conclude his 20 years as president. Provost Dr. Bill Katip will accept the role of president for the institution following graduation on May 12, 2013.

Katip brings 39 years of higher education experience to the presidency and has been invaluable in guiding Grace Schools through many innovative changes since 2007. “We will continue to grow and adapt,” said Katip. “But as always, there will be no change in our mission, core beliefs and dedication to Scripture.” Katip earned his B.A. in Bible and Psychology from Grace College, M.S. in Clinical Psychology from Purdue University and Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Michigan State University. Katip is a member of the Breakfast Optimist Club, currently sits on the board of directors for the Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation (KEDCO) and is a member of the Strategic Advisory Board to OrthoWorx in Warsaw, Ind.

Dr. Manahan began his service to Grace in 1977 and has served as president since 1994. His visionary leadership helped advance the institution through the development of new programs, the construction of new facilities, the expansion of global outreach and increased tuition affordability for students and families. Because of the efforts of Manahan and his leadership team, enrollment has more than doubled and is currently at its highest in history.

Manahan’s first position at Grace was as the chair of the division of religion and philosophy. In 1982, Manahan received the Grace College McClain Award for Excellence in Teaching and in 1985, became the assistant academic dean. Two years later he served the college as the vice president for academic affairs and in 1990 became Grace’s first provost.

Manahan’s vision was to involve Grace College & Seminary in the local communities, which resulted in the renovation of Westminster Hall in 1996 and the building of the Orthopaedic Capital Center in 2007. He was also a key initiator and facilitator in working with BioCrossroads on the grant from the Lilly Endowment resulting in OrthoWorx and the Orthopedic Capital Foundation. 

Additionally, Manahan oversaw the purchase of Mount Memorial Hall and the building of Kent Hall, Indiana Hall, Gamma Nu and the Gordon Student Recreation Center. During his tenure the Prison Education Program greatly expanded, and the Distance/Online Education Program and the Korean Studies Program began in 1996. The Water Quality Project (KLAS) launched in 2007 and the Degree Completion (GOAL) Program in 2009. More recently, Manahan helped implement the ORCA program (the Graduate Program for Orthopaedic and Regulatory Affairs) and the Henry and Frances Weber Schools (multiple locations). He also has helped engineer collaborations with CE National for Youth Ministries, Bethel College for Nursing, GBIM (Encompass World Partners) for a D. Min. in Central African Republic and Trine University for Engineering. He also formed collaborations with Ancilla College (GOAL Program) and the Christian University Global Network (online MA in ministry). During Manahan’s presidency, Grace received several professional accreditations in counseling, business, teacher education and theology.

Because of Manahan’s leadership, Grace College was one of the few public or private universities nationally to develop and offer a three-year degree program for all its majors. Grace’s program innovation attracted the attention of Congress, state legislators and national media. In 2011 Manahan represented Grace Schools nationally and championed higher education affordability and transparency to the Congressional Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training in Washington D.C.

Manahan has also served on the board of directors of Kosciusko County Chapter of the American Red Cross, Committee to Commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Inc., Foundation Ministries Inc., Lakeland Christian Academy and Symphony of the Lakes. He currently serves on the board of directors of Kosciusko County Community Foundation, OrthoWorx and the Orthopedic Capital Foundation. Additionally, Manahan has served on the board of Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI), the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and on the Accountability Committee of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU). He was awarded the Winona Lake Bill Reneker Memorial Community Service Award in 2000 and named the Warsaw/Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year for 2010.

Manahan will assume the role of senior advisor to the president this summer and serve during the academic year 2013-14. “Developing and advancing the mission of Grace College & Seminary has been my calling and my honor over the past two decades,” explained Manahan. “I am grateful to have served for so long at such a place as Grace. I am confident in the excellent leadership skills of Dr. Bill Katip as president. I know he will hold fast to the mission while continuing to adapt the methods as necessary to ensure we effectively educate future generations to answer God’s call.”

Grace College Alumni Services is providing a unique opportunity this April 9-10 for alumni and friends to experience the remarkable 70,000 square-foot Answers in Genesis Creation Museum just outside of Cincinnati, Ohio. This state-of-the-art facility brings the pages of the Bible to life in dynamic form, presenting the story of Genesis through realistic portrayals of the characters, animals, and events of the first book of the Bible. This excursion to the museum in Petersburg, Kentucky includes a bus trip, overnight stay, and an opportunity to hear from tour host Dr. DeYoung.

Dr. DeYoung joined the Grace faculty in 1972 and currently chairs the Science and Mathematics Department at Grace.   He is a graduate of Michigan Tech University (B.S., M.S., Physics), Iowa State University (Ph.D., Physics), and Grace Theological Seminary (M. Div.). His writings have appeared in many periodicals. He has also written 20 books on Bible-science topics including object lessons for children. His website is DiscoveryofDesign.com.

Dr. DeYoung is a member of the Indiana Academy of Science and the Au Sable Environmental Institute. He is currently president of the Creation Research Society with 1,700 members worldwide. This group funds research, publishes a technical quarterly journal, and operates a laboratory in Arizona. Dr. DeYoung speaks on a broad range of creation topics and believes that the details of nature are a powerful testimony to the Creator’s care for mankind.

During the bus trip to northern Kentucky, guests will also have the opportunity to hear from a representative from Grace’s Alumni Services, who will be on hand to update alumni and friends on some of the exciting developments taking place on campus during Grace’s 75^th Anniversary celebration, including the development of an endowed scholarship for alumni children.

The registration fee is $125 per person for a double room occupancy and $175 per person for a single room, and covers museum tickets, hotel and transportation. RSVP by March 25 by calling (800) 544-7223 ext. 6127. The fee must be paid in full upon registration.

Senator Jim Banks reads the resolution honoring Grace College and Seminary’s 75th year anniversary with representatives from Grace standing by.

On March 12, 2013, several representatives from Grace College met in Indianapolis to witness the reading of a resolution honoring Grace College and Seminary’s 75th year anniversary.  Dr. Ronald Manahan, President of Grace and Dr. Bill Katip, Provost, attended the event to hear the resolution read before the Indiana State Senate on the chamber floor.

The resolution, read by Senator Jim banks, noted the history of Grace College and Seminary as well as several of Grace’s outstanding achievements. The resolution also highlighted Grace’s recent implementation of more affordable education options for students.

Other Grace representatives at the event were Brian Ramsey, Site Director of Weber Indianapolis; Tom Dunn, Chief Operations Officer at Grace; Jennifer Anderson, Student Services Coordinator at Weber Indianapolis; Dr. George Slaughter, Professor of Psychology at Grace; Dr. Jared Burkholder, Assistant Professor of American and World History, and several students from Grace’s main campus in Winona Lake and Grace College Indianapolis.

“It was really exciting to see Grace College represented on the Senate chamber floor,” said Dr. Manahan. “When someone like Senator Jim Banks notices our achievements as a college and decides to present a resolution about it, then it recognizes the work and innovation we’ve put in.”

Also in attendance was Senator Ryan Mishler, long-time partner with Grace College and Seminary and representative of the 9^th District Senate (Grace’s district), who spoke on behalf of the college on the senate floor.

Senator Banks was born and raised in Columbia City and South Whitley and received his B.A. in Political Science from Indiana University in Bloomington. He is currently pursuing his MBA from Grace College’s online program.

Grace’s men’s basketball team continued its memorable run through the NAIA Division II National Championships with a 72-59 win over Dakota State on Saturday.

The victory lands the Lancers (24-9) in the national semifinals on Monday 7 p.m. EST against No. 1 William Penn (Iowa).

All five starters for Grace recorded double-digit scoring, paced by 18 points apiece from Tannan Peters and Karl Columbus.

Grace made 50 percent of their field goals, including an impressive 16-of-18 performance from the free throw line. Grace’s defense also held Dakota State in check at 36 percent shooting for the game.

“I was really proud of how we made adjustments in the second half. As the game ended in the first half, we got a little lax and committed some turnovers,” said Grace head coach Jim Kessler. “We adjusted well to Dakota in the second half, spread the court and attacked off the dribble. We are just thrilled to be here and excited to advance.”

Grace held onto a lead for much of the opening half thanks to excellent shooting. The Lancers made 54 percent of their field goals before halftime.

Ballhandling was an issue for Grace in the beginning stages of the half, however, as they committed six turnovers in a four-minute span. But for the final 34 minutes of regulation, Grace turned the ball over just four more times.

Dakota State kept themselves in the game by drilling 6-of-12 from the 3-point line in the first half. The Trojans (24-10) ended the half on a 12-4 spurt to cut Grace’s advantage to 35-34 at the half.

With 18:33 to play, the Trojans led 38-37 before Grace seized control of the game with a crucial 15-2 run. Grace led 52-40 after their charge and never trailed again.

The Trojans did not go down easily, however, as they clawed their way back to within four points of the Lancers’ cushion with seven minutes remaining.

But Grace’s defense secured the team’s place in the semifinals by yielding just four points over the final seven minutes.

“Several people really stepped up and had nice jobs for us. Tannan [Peters] particularly showed some real determination and shot the ball well today. Elliot [Smith] and Bruce [Grimm] gave us the shooting we needed today, and Karl [Columbus] came through with his jump shot.”

Columbus made 8-of-11 from the floor to go along with five rebounds and three assists, and Peters swished 4-of-5 from the 3-point line for his 18 points.

Elliot Smith made a pair of 3-pointers for 12 points, Bruce Grimm Jr. tallied 12 points and four assists, and Greg Miller produced 10 points and 12 rebounds.

Grace’s semifinal matchup on Monday (7 p.m. EST) will be the team’s first since the 1991-92 season.

Follow the team live in Branson with video coverage (paid subscription) from the NAIA and live audio coverage (no charge) with Grace’s Stretch Internet.

On March 12, 2013, Senator Jim Banks will be presenting a resolution to the Indiana State Senate honoring Grace College and Seminary’s 75th year anniversary and achievements as an institution. The resolution will be read before the Indiana State Senate in Indianapolis, and representatives from Grace will have the privilege to attend the event at the capitol.

The resolution notes the history of Grace College and Seminary, as well as several of Grace’s achievements such as graduates of Grace’s accounting program receiving a ranking of 10th out of 793 institutions nationwide for the first-time pass rate on the Certified Public Accountant exam in 2012.

The resolution also highlights Grace’s recent implementation of more affordable education options for students. One of these options reduces cost by 25 percent through one of the nation’s first successful three-year accelerated degree programs. Another program being recognized is a $7,800 per year associate degree program for city youth now available in Fort Wayne and Indianapolis.

“We are honored that Grace College and Seminary’s 75th Anniversary will be recognized before the Indiana State Senate,” said Dr. Ronald Manahan, president of Grace College and Seminary. “I think it acknowledges the passion and hard work we have invested to give our students quality, affordable options for their education. We are excited to continue innovating and addressing students’ needs.”

The Saturday portion of the Northern Indiana Lakes Festival will take place at Center Lake, Warsaw, Ind. on June 8.

The Northern Indiana Lakes Festival is now a three-day event happening June 7-9 in Warsaw and Winona Lake.

Organized by Kosciusko Lakes and Streams, a water research and education center at Grace College, the Lakes Festival is a weekend of events and activities on the shores of local lakes and sometimes in the lakes themselves.

Thanks to a partnership with Warsaw First Fridays, the Lakes Festival weekend will kick off with a special downtown First Friday event on June 7. The theme will be “We Are Lake City.”

The festival will continue Saturday at Central Park in Warsaw. Events will include Center Lake Conservation Association’s Warsaw Aqua Mile swim race, the Water Waddle kids fun run and a ski show performed by the Lake City Skiers.

The Sunday portion of the festival will be at the Village at Winona in Winona Lake. Events will include Integrated Community Development International’s Run for Others 5K and KCV Cycling mountain bike time trials.

The Lakes Festival is accepting applications for vendors. There will be incentives for festival attendees to visit an educational area as well as a business vendor area.

Applications and additional information can be found at www.lakesfestival.org.

This year’s top sponsors include Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Zimmer, Biomet, CenturyLink and Silveus Insurance Group. Additional sponsors are being sought.

Kosciusko Lakes and Streams is a center at Grace College that focuses on applied research, education and community collaboration. For more information on Kosciusko Lakes and Streams visit water.grace.edu.

Greg Miller against Tennessee Wesleyan on Thursday (photo taken by Chase Ringler)

Grace’s men’s basketball team may have entered the 2013 NAIA National Championships as the underdog, but any questions of their caliber were quickly erased with a 93-69 throttling of No. 13 Tennessee Wesleyan on Thursday.

The Lancers shot 65 percent and ripped off 54 first-half points to knock off the hottest team in the nation.

The Bulldogs (25-8) owned an NAIA-best 18-game winning streak entering their game against the Lancers. But Tennessee Wesleyan, who is the third-highest scoring team in NAIA Division II, was held to 21 points below their season average on Thursday.

“In this game, our discipline and execution was really the key to what happened,” said Grace head coach Jim Kessler. “When you shoot 65 percent from the field, that’s evidence that you are taking good shots. We continually got to the basket.”

Grace could not have started any stronger by making their first five shot attempts and forcing three turnovers from the Bulldogs. After a 3-pointer from Tannan Peters less than three minutes into the contest, the Lancers (22-9) owned an 11-0 lead.

Tennessee Wesleyan countered with seven unanswered of their own before back-to-back 3-pointers from Elliot Smith and Greg Miller jumpstarted the Lancers.

Grace made an impressive 69 percent from the floor in the first half. They continued to find the mark after halftime by making 12-of-20 (60 percent).

The Bulldogs’ offense did its best to keep pace with the Lancers in the second half, but Tennessee Wesleyan never inched closer than 11 points of Grace’s lead after halftime.

Grace got to the free throw line 19 times in the second half and made 13 of their attempts.

“Defensively we were able to keep the ball in front of us for the most part. We got on the boards strong which was huge,” Kessler said. “I’m really proud of them. This was a good effort by us on both ends of the court.”

Bruce Grimm Jr. and Greg Miller each topped 20 points in the win. Grimm produced 25 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds and 3 steals, and Miller added 21 points and seven boards. Both players went 9-of-14 shooting.

Smith buried 3-of-4 from beyond the arc for 11 points, Karl Columbus tallied 11 points and four assists, Peters pulled down a game-high seven rebounds, and Dennis Williams added 10 points in 16 minutes off the bench.

The Lancers will play on Friday in the second round against the winner of Northwestern (Iowa) and California Maritime at 6:45 p.m. EST.

Follow the team live in Branson with video coverage (paid subscription) from the NAIA and live audio coverage (no charge) with Grace’s Stretch Internet.

Grace’s men’s basketball team is poised to get back onto the hardwood on Thursday for the NAIA National Championships.

The Lancers (21-9) will face off with 13th-seeded Tennessee Wesleyan in their opening-round battle at 5 p.m. EST.

Grace holds an all-time tournament record of 8-5 in the NAIA Division II National Championship, but the Lancers are hoping to buck a recent trend of losing in the first round (2012, 2011). Grace boasts an experienced postseason roster as they have advanced to NAIA Nationals in five of the past six years.

The Lancers’ opponent, Tennessee Wesleyan, owns the longest current winning streak in the nation. The Bulldogs have not tasted defeat since Jan. 2 en route to their 18-game winning streak entering Thursday’s contest.

“Tennessee Wesleyan has been on a big run as of late. They’re an athletic, up-tempo team – which we have played well against in the past,” said Grace head coach Jim Kessler. “They play deep, hard and up-tempo. They’re a very nice team with several quality wins on the schedule.”

The Bulldogs are searching for the program’s first NAIA tournament victory as they have come up empty in each of their previous four attempts. Tennessee Wesleyan features the third-highest scoring offense in the country at 90.6 points per game. Desmond Crisp paces the Bulldogs with 16.0 points per game.

With a win over Tennessee Wesleyan on Thursday, Grace will play in the second round on Friday at 6:45 p.m. before the quarterfinals on Saturday at 9 p.m. View the 2013 bracket here.

Follow the team live in Branson with video coverage (paid subscription) from the NAIA and live audio coverage (no charge) with Grace’s Stretch Internet.

As Grace College quickly becomes one of the quality providers in online education, some notable achievements are emerging. Tim Ziebarth, Director of Online Education, along with a team of collaborators, achieved a “5″ rating on a quality review of their online Principles of Management course hosted through Learning House, Grace’s online education solutions partner. The Management class is one of very few nationwide in the Learning House network that has achieved this rating.

The quality review makes use of a 5-level scale with intricate standards of quality that each online class must meet in 40-plus distinct areas. To achieve a score of 5, classes must score a 90% or higher in meeting the standards.

“We are raising the quality of our online classes. This is just one class, but now we have a course that models the best practices in online education,” explained Ziebarth. “Our next goal is to have the first class that scores a 100%.”

“The time, effort, quality, variety, and content that Tim includes in his courses achieve a high level of student outcomes,” said Carrie Yocum, Associate Provost of Grace College. “Tim leads our online department and has been an example to other instructors in the development and teaching of online courses and use of resources to make it a good learning experience for students.”

“The level five rating is a terrific example of the hard work and dedication of Tim and the Grace faculty as well,” said Derek Jones, Grace’s account manager at Learning House. “Quality was one of the first things Tim has stressed to us in our partnership and I think the fact that Grace College is leading the way is an example of their dedication to their students.”