The Grace College School of Business recently honored six graduating students with one of the highest national recognitions a business student can receive at a college or university. Janine McCormick, Kathryn Muck, Elliot Smith, Caitlin Steiner, Charles Stennett and Caitlin Yoder were inducted into Grace’s chapter of Sigma Beta Delta, International Honor Society of Business, Management and Administration.

To be eligible for membership into Sigma Beta Delta, a business student must rank in the upper 20 percent of the graduating class, be of high character, and be invited to membership by the faculty. The induction, which took place on Tuesday, April 23 at the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center, marked the first year of Grace’s chapter of the honor society.

“I think this goes to show how our business program – both faculty and students – are passionate about excellence,” said Jeff Fawcett, dean of the School of Business. “We are very proud of our new inductees and are excited about the existence of the new chapter of Sigma Beta Delta at Grace College and Seminary.”

Sigma Beta Delta exists to encourage and recognize scholarship and achievement among students of business, management and administration, and to encourage and promote personal and professional improvement and a life distinguished by honorable service to humankind.

More than 80 orthopedic companies from across the globe will converge at the Ronald and Barbara Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center on June 5-6, 2013 for the OrthoTec Conference and Exhibition. OrthoTec chose Kosciusko County as its 2013 location as the manufacturing industry’s resource for world-class education and cutting edge technologies.

During the two-day event, exhibitors and registered attendees will attend conference sessions designed to provide the latest knowledge and advanced technologies for every aspect of orthopaedics design and manufacturing. Event highlights include opening remarks from Warsaw’s mayor, Dr. Joe Thallemer, and keynote addresses from Michael J. Kaplan, chief medical correspondent for ESPN and Nick Deeter, founder and chairman of the board of OrthoPediatrics. The redesigned conference program will cover FDA Detroit district updates, 510(k) updates, MoM hip replacement issues, the newly proposed unique device identifier rule, Asian supply chain management, sports medicine, biologics and tissue engineering.

Among the exhibitors, which will include four industry manufacturers, Kosciusko County also has a collaborative presence at the entrance of the exhibit. With the help of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC); the Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation; Ivy Tech Community College; Grace College; Trine University; the Kosciusko County Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Warsaw/Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce, the county is excited to welcome each visitor and will be providing valuable information about industry, education, life, and opportunities in the county. KEDCo is the coordinating local agency for the event and may be contacted at their office or the show website at OrthoTecShow.com for more information.

Several members of the Winona Lake Centennial Planning Committee display Winona Lake history-themed products that will be available at the Centennial booth at this weekend's Juried Art Fair in Winona Lake. Members shown include, from left: Terry White, Jared Burkholder, Ellen Swaim, Pete OConnell, Holly Hummitch, and Al Disbro. Winona Lake was incorporated as a town on June 2, 1913. (Sharon White photo)

A  Centennial Celebration booth/tent at the Juried Art Fair in Winona Lake this weekend will introduce a number of new products and will kick off a series of events planned to celebrate the Centennial of the Town of Winona Lake, which was incorporated June 2, 1913.

An informal task force chaired by town coordinator Craig Allebach (chief of Campus Safety and part-time instructor of Behavioral Science at Grace College) has been working for a number of months to coordinate products and events that begin this weekend and conclude with the annual Community Appreciation Dinner at the Westminster Hall on Thursday, November 14.

New products introduced for sale at the Art Fair this weekend in the Village at Winona include the new definitive 350-page history of the town, “Winona at 100: Third Wave Rising,” authored by local resident Terry White (part-time instructor of Journalism at Grace College) with collaboration from Steve Grill (dean of the School of Adult and Community Education at Grace College). The book’s 20 chapters detail the history of the town from Indian days through the First Wave, which included the Beyer Brothers’ Spring Fountain Park and the purchase of the entire property by Dr. Solomon Dickey and the Presbyterian Church.

The second wave—when Winona was known worldwide as the “world’s largest Bible conference–includes history surrounding town residents Billy Sunday and Homer Rodeheaver, the founding of Youth For Christ, and the launching of Billy Graham’s evangelistic ministry from an all-night prayer meeting in the Westminster.

Other chapters detail the history of sacred music at Winona through the Rodeheaver Hall-Mack company, the dozens of ministries and organizations that began here and now are spread throughout the world, the history of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches and Grace College and Seminary, and a chapter entitled “Crimes and Tragedies” that details much of the folklore and actual events that add color and poignancy to the town’s history.

The Third Wave, which includes the takeover of all assets and liabilities of the Christian Assembly by Grace College and Seminary in 1968 and the founding of Winona Restoration Partners in 1994, brings the reader up to date with the founding of the Village at Winona and the contributions of Dr. Dane and Mary Louise Miller that have once again brought prominence to the little village, including the annual summer MasterWorks classical music festival. The book concludes with a walking tour of notable event locations and architecture of many of the town’s structures.

Also for sale this weekend will be a special Centennial commemorative coffee mug designed and created by local artist/photographer/potter Gary Nieter, and a specially-designed Centennial Mudlove bracelet. Al Disbro’s book of historical photos will be for sale, as will Jane Cook and Paula Heckman’s coffeetable book on summers at Winona, along with the self-published autobiography of Dr. Dane Miller. Previous Art Fair posters will also be for sale. Festive Centennial banners will be hung from many of the town’s light poles.

A flatscreen TV in the booth will have a continuous-loop showing of 558 historical photos of the town, captured and reproduced by Al Disbro. The photos include an extensive postcard collection that pictures many of the now-gone structures and attractions from Winona’s earlier days.

Both houses of the Indiana state legislature this spring passed a commemorative resolution celebrating Winona Lake’s centennial. Local state representative Dave Wolkins will be presenting the original for display in the town hall.

In addition to the Art Fair, a number of events with a Centennial theme are planned for the summer and fall. Products will again be available during the Fourth of July park events on Friday, July 5, leading up to the 8:30 p.m. Hillside patriotic pops concert and the fireworks display. On Saturday, July 6, a group of local watercraft owners are planning to re-create the popular “Venetian Nights” evening flotilla which featured lighted and decorated watercraft encircling McDonald Island.  Dr. Patrick Kavanaugh and the MasterWorks Festival staff are planning to incorporate history and centennial celebrations wherever possible throughout the MasterWorks Festival which is June 14-July 13 in Winona Lake.

Later in the summer, the Kosciusko County Historical Society is hoping to have an all-Winona historical homes tour. A special “Heritage Forum” will be held on Tuesday, September 10 under the direction of Dr. Jared Burkholder and Dr. Mark Norris of the Grace College history department. Presentations will be made that tie together the town’s 100-year history and the 75-year history of Grace College and Seminary, and a visiting scholar from Bluffton College will present a response.

Centennial artifacts will be available at various Village events throughout the fall, including the Village Fall Fest on October 5, and the culmination will be the annual Community Appreciation Dinner and the awarding of the Bill Reneker Community Service Award by Reneker’s widow, Judy, on Thursday, November 14.

Members of the task force who have worked on the celebrations, in addition to Allebach, include Holly Hummitch, Ryan Burger, Terry White, Jared Burkholder, Ellen Swaim, Al Disbro, and Carol Forbes.

Commencement ceremonies at Grace College & Theological Seminary took place Saturday, May 11 at 9:00 a.m. in the Orthopaedic Capital Center on the Grace campus. A brass ensemble conducted by Martin Becker provided the prelude and processional accompaniment. The ceremony, which commemorated the 75^th anniversary of the college and seminary, included an invocation by Michael C. Taylor, director of the Medical and Compassion Ministries of Encompass World Partners-Three Strands and father of Kristen H. Taylor, graduating senior.

An institutional recognition was also given by James L. Custer, chairman of the Grace Board of Trustees and Ronald E. Manahan, Th.D., president of Grace College and Seminary led the commencement ceremony. The musical presentation was performed by graduating senior Rebekah Noack, accompanied by Aaron Scantlen. Matthew D. Slippy gave the benediction. Slippy is associate pastor of Youth and Family Ministries at Calvary Baptist Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and father of Tara A. Slippy, graduating senior.

Grace College and Seminary’s graduating class of 2013 consisted of 431 graduates:

• 15 received Associate of Science in Management degrees from the School of Adult and Community Education’s Prison Extension program
• 56 received Bachelor of Science in Management degrees from the School of Adult and Community Education’s Prison Extension program
• 11 received Master of Education degrees from the School of Adult and Community Education
• 6 received Master of Business Administration degrees from the School of Adult and Community Education
• 24 received Master of Science in Orthopaedic Regulatory & Clinical Affairs  degrees from the School of Adult and Community Education
• 14 received an Associate Degree in Nursing (through Bethel College)
• 37 received Bachelor of Arts degrees from the School of Arts & Sciences
• 42 received Bachelor of Science degrees from the School of Arts & Sciences
• 5 received Bachelor of Arts degrees from the School of Behavioral Sciences
• 37 received Bachelor of Science degrees from the School of Behavioral Sciences
• 23 received Master of Arts degrees from the School of Behavioral Sciences
• 3 received Bachelor of Arts degrees from the School of Business
• 31 received Bachelor of Science degrees from the School of Business
• 10 received Bachelor of Arts degrees from the School of Education
• 28 received Bachelor of Science degrees from the School of Education
• 8 received Bachelor of Arts degrees from the School of Ministry Studies
• 25 received Bachelor of Science degrees from the School of Ministry Studies
• 1 received a Certificate in Biblical Studies from the School of Ministry Studies
• 21 received Master of Arts degrees from the School of Ministry Studies
• 8 received Master of Arts degrees from Grace Theological Seminary
• 6 received Master of Divinity degrees from Grace Theological Seminary
• 2 received Doctor of Ministry degrees from Grace Theological Seminary
• 18 received Doctor of Missiology degrees from Grace Theological Seminary.

The class was comprised of students from 24 states and 16 countries, including Argentina, China, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Mexico, New Zealand, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Uzbekistan and the United States.

Of the 431 college graduates, 36 were members of the Alpha Chi Honor Society and six were the college’s first inductees into Sigma Beta Delta, an honors society for business students. A total of 163 baccalaureate degree recipients earned graduation honors and wore gold tassels, cords or sashes at the commencement ceremony.

• 11 graduated with summa cum laude honors
• 39 achieved magna cum laude honors
• 29 earned cum laude honors
• 84 earned honors in the graduate division and seminary division

Christa K. Farrell, B.S. in Elementary Education

Dr. Ronald and Barbara Manahan receiving several recognitions from the Grace College & Seminary Board of Trustees

Master of Business Administration graduate Matthew R. Metzger with children Megan Metzger (left) and Hunter Metzger (right)

Master of Divinity graduate Brent T. Mencarelli with wife Amy Mencarelli

Grace College announces the opening of its third commuter location in the city of Detroit this coming August.  Grace chose the location in Detroit based on an invitation from Evangel Ministries. Grace College Detroit will offer an A.A. or A.S. in General Studies (Liberal Arts) for traditional students seeking to live at home and save money while completing their first two years of college.

“Grace College Detroit is being established in response to the need for accredited ministry training in Detroit,” said Dr. Bill Katip, president of Grace College and Seminary. “There is a large population in the area who are interested in ministry education, so we are partnering with Evangel Ministries and their senior pastor Christopher Brooks to fill that need.”

Grace College Detroit will also offer an A.A. or A.S. in Biblical Studies. This is a degree completion program for adult students who have already earned a certificate from Detroit Bible Institute, Ashland Theological Seminary or Moody Bible Institute in Detroit. This A. A. degree program will be offered this year through evening classes for working students who wish to earn an associate degree.

Grace’s initial commuter locations and The Henry and Frances Weber School were founded in 2011. Tuition is $3,900 per semester; this is significantly lower than most other Christian residential colleges and comparable to public commuter college tuition.  The Grace College Detroit site joins Henry and Frances Weber School sites already established in Fort Wayne and Indianapolis.

Matt Parker, site director, said, “Grace College Detroit provides an opportunity for young people to receive a Christ-centered education that is affordable and accredited.  It’s also an opportunity for church and ministry leaders to increase their knowledge and leadership skills.”

The school administration also has plans to offer a Bachelor of Science in Ministry Studies degree completion program beginning fall 2014. The school has accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association.  Visit detroit.grace.edu for more information.

Dr. William J. Katip, president of Grace College & Seminary

The faculty, staff, and board of trustees of Grace College and Seminary are excited to welcome former provost Dr. William J. Katip as the president of Grace College & Seminary. He assumed this new role following Dr. Ronald E. Manahan’s final day on May 11. Katip received a B.A. in Bible and Psychology from Grace College, an M.S. in Clinical Psychology from Purdue University and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Michigan State University. His professional background includes 39 years of college administration (15 at Grace), teaching and counseling experience, and serving as provost of Grace College since 2007.

As Katip steps into his new role, he is implementing some structural changes to the institution’s senior leadership team. Manahan will assume the role of senior advisor to the president during the academic year 2013-2014, taking some time in the fall semester as a sabbatical. Dr. Jeff Gill was named vice president and dean of the Seminary and School of Ministry Studies, and joins the Grace College and Seminary senior leadership team.

Dr. James Swanson, vice president of Student Affairs and Academic Services, now has additional areas of responsibility that focus on developing student life. The school’s retention rates have improved yearly under Swanson’s guidance. Cynthia Sisson received a promotion from dean to vice president of Enrollment Management, and Associate Provost Dr. Carrie Yocum stepped into her new role as vice president of Administration and Compliance. Thomas Dunn, accepting his new title as vice president of Strategic Initiatives and Planning, will hone his focus on institutional growth and innovation, which is integral to Katip’s strategy. Grace will be seeking to fill the three remaining openings in the senior leadership team (vice president of Financial Affairs, vice president of Advancement, and vice president of Academic Affairs) in the coming months.

“Dr. Manahan made sure the college and seminary remained true our mission through drastic changes,” said Katip. “I commit to that same fortitude, also acknowledging that our methods must be adaptable. Higher education is in line for radical changes and we have to pray for wisdom daily to find new ways to express it.”

A community appreciation dinner in honor of Dr. Ronald E. Manahan was hosted by Dr. Dane and Mary Louise Miller at Westminster Hall on May 6, 2013. During the evening, Manahan was recognized for 36 years of distinguished service and 20 years as president of Grace. The Board of Trustees of Grace College and Seminary, on behalf of the students, faculty, and staff of Grace College & Seminary, in expression of its deepest gratitude, officially presented the re-naming of the Orthopaedic Capital Center the “Ronald E. and Barbara J. Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center at Grace College.”

A welcome was given by Bob Vitoux, board member at Grace College and Seminary and vice president of commercial operations at Biomet. The Rev. Kip Cone, board member at Grace College and Seminary and pastor of Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church, gave an invocation.

Sen. Jim Banks of the Indiana State Senate presented a resolution from the State of Indiana along with a flag that was flown over the state capital. Banks also presented a proclamation from the City of Warsaw, and a proclamation and resolution from the Town of Winona Lake declaring it “Ron Manahan Day.” Jean Northenor, retired executive vice president of Lake City Bank, presented a letter from the state Supreme Court. Northenor spoke on Manahan’s mobilization of the community to pursue the Westminster restoration project, which was the first time that Grace collaborated with the community on a project of such magnitude and that involved such broad representation.

Dr. Dane Miller, founder and board member of Biomet, Inc. spoke on Manahan’s efforts to mobilize the orthopaedic community around the Orthopaedic Capital Center project, the first collaboration between competing orthopedic companies to benefit the community as a whole. Mr. David Johnson, president of BioCrossroads, spoke about Manahan’s efforts as an ambassador in championing the cause of orthopaedics statewide. Dr. Patrick Kavanaugh, executive director of The MasterWorks Festival, provided special music for the evening.

The event closed with a gracious response by Manahan and closing remarks by Dr. William J. Katip, president-elect of Grace College and Seminary. A closing prayer of blessing was offered by Mr. Scott Silveus, board member of Grace College and Seminary and president of Silveus Insurance Group.

Vitoux said, “Dr. Manahan will be remembered as a godly, Holy Spirit-driven leader who left his indelible print on all those he encountered through his soft-spoken words, and by making the community and many of the local Orthopedic businesses feel a part of the school during the years of his presidency.”

Manahan has assumed the role of senior advisor to the president and will serve in that role at least a year.  During the 13-14 academic year Manahan and his wife Barbara will take several months of sabbatical leave.

Dr. Ronald E. Manahan and Indiana State Senator Jim Banks

Jean Northenor, retired executive vice president of Lake City Bank

Grace College head coach Jim Kessler was announced as a court coach for the 2013 USA Basketball Men’s World University Games training camp.

Kessler will assist USA Basketball’s coaching staff during the team’s training camp from June 24-July 1 for the 2013 Men’s University Games.

The USA men will be coached by Davidson College’s Bob McKillop and assisted by Michigan’s John Beilein and South Carolina’s Frank Martin. The 2013 World University Games are held in Kazan, Russia, from July 6-17.

“I’m highly honored to have the opportunity to contribute to USA Basketball. It’s an honor for the NAIA to be included at this level. I think USA Basketball is recognizing there are a lot of good coaches at this level,” Kessler said. “I’m thrilled at this opportunity to help pick and train players to represent us in Russia. If nothing else, I want to encourage these guys to represent us well. We’ll go overseas with a target on our back as the United States, so we need to leave the all-star attitude behind, play hard and play together.”

Kessler will serve as court coach alongside Tad Boyle of the University of Colorado and Matt Matheny of Elon College at next month’s training camp.

Organized by the International University Sports Federation (FISU), the World University Games is a multi-sport competition open to men and women who are between the ages of 17 and 24 (born between January 1, 1989 and December 31, 1995), and are or have been within the past year, a student at a college or university.

“It’s an honor to represent the NAIA, our league, Grace College and the state of Indiana,” Kessler continued. “I’m humbled to have this chance, and I appreciate USA Basketball and the NAIA for allowing me to represent them.”

Kessler has amassed 679 career wins at Grace during his 36-year coaching career. He has directed the Lancers to 15 20-win seasons and three 30-win seasons during his time, including a 24-10 record last year and a trip to the 2013 NAIA Division II National Championship semifinals.

To view the complete news release from USA Basketball, click here.

Grace Brethren military chaplain Major Billy Graham (U.S.Army) surprised his daughter, Katie, Saturday morning during her graduation from Grace College. He has been deployed in Afghanistan for the last nine months. Fort Wayne, Ind., television station, WANE, caught the story on tape, which appears below. Click here to view the video report.

Local graduate gets big surprise walking across stage

Winona Lake, Ind. (WANE) – Saturday morning a graduate at Grace Seminary College got a big surprise walking across the stage.

Katie Graham had her diploma in hand, her professor had just turned her tassel, and then, she looked across the stage and froze.

A man was running towards her with outstretched arms. The man was her father who she hadn’t seen in nine months.

” I was like, no way, no way, and then lots of oh my gosh, oh my gosh. I think I said it like six times,” Katie said.

Chaplain Billy Graham had just come back from a nine month deployment in Afghanistan.

“I really didn’t think I’d be able to make it home because my deployment was supposed to go for several more weeks,” Chaplain Graham said.

However, with the help of his commander, he was able to come home early. When he found out the good news, he began his plan of surprising his daughter for her graduation.

His family helped him keep his homecoming a surprise, and Grace College helped the ceremony reveal go smoothly. Chaplain Graham said he even pretended to Skype his daughter Friday night to make her believe he was still overseas.

The dad and daughter both agree the surprise made the special occasion even more memorable.

“Oh yeah, priceless, there we go,” Katie said.

Katie also said the surprise was also sentimental because her father is also a Grace graduate.