Political Apathy

On Saturday, December 13, Robert McFarland addressed our new crop of LETU graduates. His topic? Political apathy. In a rousing commencement speech that garnered a standing ovation, Mr. McFarland reminded all of us that our voice counts and more importantly, our involvement makes a different. How can we avoid political apathy? Here are some of his recommendations:

Be knowledgeable and involved.
· Know your own elected officials

· Become familiar with how they vote on issues

· Call their offices and voice your opinions on the issues of the day and tell them how you want them to vote.

· When they don’t vote the way you expect them to vote, voice your dissatisfaction both verbally and in writing.

· Always – always vote in general and local elections

· Talk to the staff people who work for your elected officials. Most of the time, they are whom you will get when you call. Let them know your opinions.

· Let the elected official and their staffs know that you will not vote for and continue to support someone who won’t represent your values.

· Support local and national efforts to install term limits so we can dissolve this business of professional politicians.

* All the information you need to do these things is available to you on the Internet and Google. You just have to commit to not being apathetic.

Sounds like a great New Year's resolution to me!

Thank You LAN Volunteers!!!

Thank You

LeTourneau Alumni Network Volunteers!

2008 was a banner year for LeTourneau's Alumni Network. Our wonderful LAN volunteers represented LeTourneau at college fairs throughout the country and we just wanted to say THANK YOU to these awesome LeTourneau University Alumni:

The Rockin’ 50’s
Howard Van Horn '59

The Far Out 60’s
Robert Shepherd '68
John Earhart '69

The Groovy 70’s
Albert "Skip" Curtis ‘73
Ken Haigh ‘75
Bill Gallagher ‘75
Jim Tolson '76
Howard Wilson '78
Randy Hartman '79

The Cool 80’s
Royal Nordeen ‘80
Dave '80 & Judy Cottrill
Bill Garfield ‘81
Dr. Sid Cradduck ‘82
Rev. Peter Daley ‘82
Carol Roszhart '84
Jim Brake '86

The Awesome 90’s
Jeff ’93 & Jenelle Piepmeier ‘93
Eric Swanson ‘95
Jason McIlravy ‘98

To Infinity and Beyond
George Sparks '00
Jessi Scherm ‘01
Lynn Swanbom ‘04
Bri Kirsch ‘05
Grace Aubert '05
Charissa '06 & Pete Shull '05
Matt Erickson ‘07

Thank you also to Sid Osborn!

Are you interested in becoming one our LAN volunteers? Want more info? Please email Allison Gardner, Coordinator, (allisongardner@letu.edu) to find out more! Next year, we would love to have you on our recognition list!

Toward A New Vision

Fall greeted us with not only new students and faculty, but also with a new vision for LETU. After months of conversations, and lotsa listening, President Lunsford revealed LETU's Toward A New Vision.

The university’s new vision statement reads, “Claiming every workplace in every nation as our mission field, LeTourneau University graduates are professionals of ingenuity and Christ-like character who see life’s work as a holy calling with eternal impact.” Isn't that exciting? I know this vision was revealed a couple of months back but I find myself reflecting on it more and more. What does it mean to ME? How does it apply to ME? So I pass on these questions to you...

What does this mean to you? How can YOU claim every workplace, every nation as YOUR mission field? It's tough sometimes, isn't it, to feel like the only one bearing the baton. But that's what we are called to do...even if we fail God tragically...so, back to the original question:

How can YOU claim every workplace, every nation as YOUR mission field?

As we ready for a new year, this might be a good place to start some of those new year's resolutions.

Thanksgiving has...

...come and gone...as we enter the Christmas season, its time to reflect on all the wonders of God's love for his people. I wonder, how many of us would willingly give up our only child for the sake of a people who continually turn their backs on us and do exactly the opposite of what we ask of them? Just a thought for you...

...and on a lighter note, the end of the year also signals our alumni and LeTourneau family to begin thinking of Homecoming! Homecoming this year is on April 2-5, 2009 at LeTourneau. Make plans to attend!

The LETU Alumni Advisory Council

The LETU Alumni Advisory Council is a group of dedicated alumni who serve in an advisory capacity to the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations. Here is an opportunity for you to meet some of these hardworking folks! I'll post more members tomorrow - including the ladies on the council!

If you are interested in serving on the LETU Alumni Advisory Council or would like to volunteer your help, we'd love to hear from you: alumni@letu.edu or (800) 259-2586.


Dean Waskowiak, Chair-Elect








Dave Cottrill (also an LETU Trustee)















Dave Fyock









Richard Bringhurst











Ed Claypool

Another wonderful person you need to know!

Last week, we celebrated Janet Ragland's birthday. Janet is the Director of University Relations and does an amazing job in representing the University through media channels. She is also super personable to boot and a hoot to have around! HAPPY BIRTHDAY JANET!

Student Foundation Cakes

Every year, students "feel the love" when they receive a specially ordered Student Foundation Cake for their birthday, finals, or just because. If you know an LETU student and want to make their day, lift their spirits or just let them know you are thinking of them, Student Foundation has some awesome cakes you can order! Like these:

Want to order a cake?

Just visit the Student Foundation Page for the order form by clicking here.

Thank you for supporting Student Foundation! Proceeds benefit student scholarships and that is truly a sweet deal!

Fall Fest!

Another year, another beautiful Fall Fest Week...events this year included the Dance Off in Skipper Hall, Queen nominees and their garb (see below) and a ton of other LETU traditions that made our campus more colorful and lively!

The students ended the weeks festivities with the Fall Fest Banquet, named their King and Queen and then enjoyed opening night of the Longview Symphony, which featured the works of European Masters. Longview has a vibrant arts community, including the Symphony. We hope next time you come to visit campus you also enjoy one of the many fine arts offerings Longview has for you!

If you also note above, the Advancement ladies (except for the fall fest princess, Angela) are wearing pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

Class of '58/ Alumni Council

The Class of '58 is celebrating their 50th this coming October 10th! They will be joined by the LETU Alumni Advisory Council...the weather is perfect in Longview for their visits back to campus! In light of their impending arrival, we have put together a few of our faves here in town for their (and your enjoyment)! These are actually some of my faves, but that belingers the point...

Enjoying Longview!

Destinations
Longview Museum of Fine Arts
215 E. Tyler Street
Downtown Longview
10 -4PM Tuesday – Friday
Noon – 4PM Saturday
Closed Sunday
903-753-8103

Bach Lunches
Friday, October 10, 2008Noon - 1:00 pm

Gala Strunk, organist

Free to the public
First Christian Church * 720 6th Street, Longview

Join the Longview Symphony as they celebrate the International Year of the Organ in the beautiful churches of downtown Longview. Dining hall opens at noon - bring your own lunch and beverages will be served. The concert begins at 12:20 pm and is dismissed at 12:55 pm.

Music on the Plaza

Friday, October 10, 2008

Lunchtime; Free to the Public

Heritage Plaza, Downtown Longview

Longview Trade Days
Saturday, October 11, 2008
8 – 5PM
Longview Fair Grounds, Longview, TX

Dining
Beths Cafe

1811 A. Judson Rd. Longview, TX 75605ph: 903-234-1381

Deb’s Downtown Café
103 W Tyler StLongview, TX 75601(903) 234-2823

Mario's

2609 Judson Rd., Longview 75605
(903) 753-4442


Shopping
Holiday Market
Maude Cobb Activity Center
100 Grand Blvd. (off of Cotton Street)
Friday - 9 am - 5 pmSaturday 9 am - 5 pmSunday 11 am - 4 pmCost: Weekend Pass $10; Per day $5For more information contact 903-736-3785.
Benefits the Longview Symphony, over 75 vendors

That Girl’s Boutique
112 W Methvin StLongview, TX 75601(903) 212-4475

Denim Lounge and Perfume Bar
204 N Fredonia StLongview, TX 75601(903) 236-3000

Want to know more about visiting Longview? Please visit the Visitors website by clicking here.

It's Constitution Week!

To encourage the LeTourneau University community of faculty, staff and students to understand the significance of Constitution Day on Wednesday, September 17, LeTourneau University's Webb Historical Society has put together some valuable resources to share with you to review at your pleasure.

May this be a time of remembering how blessed we are to live in America with the freedoms that our U.S. Constitution protects as we give thanks to our heavenly Father and pray for the needs of this great nation. We encourage you to be a part of this time of celebration.

Doug Wilcoxson, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs

Philadelphia, September 17, 1787: A group of 39 statesmen signed a document they had been working on for the past 4 months.

This document, originally intended as a revision of the Articles of Confederation (the original charter of the new United States), had grown into an entirely new U. S. Constitution.

Today, this Constitution is the oldest (and shortest) written constitution in the world. It has inspired many imitations; people around the world have been encouraged by it. To us and many others, this text represents the ideals and principles of free government.

This year, by congressional resolution, September 17 is being celebrated as Constitution Day to honor the birth of the American government.

LeTourneau University and its chapter of the Walter Prescott Webb Historical Society encourage all LETU students to use this opportunity to reflect on the freedoms that our Constitution protects. This is an opportunity for thanksgiving and praise. It is also a chance to learn about this document’s history and importance.

We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. Continue reading....

Online Resources:
National Archives: View scans of the original document and read the full text
Founders Gallery: See portraits of the American Founders
Constitution Day: Find more ways to celebrate
Constitution Timeline: Trace the history of American government
Interactive Constitution: See how the Constitution has been interpreted

A message from the Walter Prescott Webb Historical Society.

The year would not be complete...

without the LeTourneau University Alma Mater SONG!

"LeTourneau's sons and daughters true,
Are faithful 'round this world to you.
Our prayers ascend to God on High,
That in His will your path may lie.

CHORUS:
O Alma Mater, praise to thee,
We pledge anew our loyalty.
The happy days we here have spent;
A new zeal to our lives have lent.
IN joyful song it must be told:
All hail LeTourneau, Blue and Gold;
All hail LeTourneau, Blue and Gold!

Caressed by sunny southern skies
Our honored Alma Mater lies.
Among the murm'ring green pines near,
We lift our praise to thee so dear."

SING IT PROUD AND LOUD!

LeTourneau University - Fall Convocation

On August 27th, the LeTourneau nation gathered in the cacoon of the S.E. Belcher Chapel and Performance Center and entered into a time of convocation. What a beautiful way to get the year started! Here is the scripture reading from Convocation:

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:18-20

Absolutely nothing to do with LETU!

But these are soooo cool I thought you would enjoy them nonetheless!

Things I wish I knew...

Recently we asked our LETU Alumni Council to provide some feedback regarding: things I wish I knew when I graduated. Here are some nuggets of wisdom from Council Member Seth Buttner ('94), below. Next week we will feature some more great advise from other LETU Alumni Council members. Hope you enjoy!

1. Understand general financing things like school loans, car loans, credit cards. It will keep you out of trouble! Also, get really familiar with your employer's 401K program, company pension plan and saving plans, and health plans!!!

2. “Humility” is what gets you ahead in the corporate world …in the long run. If they are looking for quick success; then sure, their academic success will be a great help. But for long-term, respected leadership then patience and humility will go a long way.

3. Learn how to be organized. Practice organizing your private life and it will spill over into work life. Get a PalmPilot, i-Phone, or whatever. It’s An Investment!

4. Your personal, social, and communication skills are key. I was very technical in my academic career and now 75% of what I do in my career is communication. My advice: take a speech class and pay attention to writing skills classes, might be more valuable then you think.

5. Get a good idea how industries work, even if it is not your chosen career, that’s okay, look at it as your future competitor. Take advantage of your student traveling -driving home on summer and spring breaks; any chance you get, stop in somewhere that strikes your curiosity and ask for a tour; most companies have tours host in place. Who knows you may end up working for one of them, or against one of them…This is free knowledge and the more you know about your company, or competitor, it’s a bonus!

6. Learn to cook something significant - like a steak and potatoes. Know the different cuts of meat and learn the difference between Prime, Choice and Select, etc. (i.e. interviewers look at what your are buying, and it’s a good waterhole/small talk at the office.) Also helps on dates - shows you’re not just academic smart.

7. Get a Passport. If you don’t already have one, go out with a friend while you’re still in school. To have this in hand starting job might open doors. Be ready! You never know!!!

The Advancement Fashionistas Strike Again!!!

Well, the new academic year must be in full swing because...the Advancement Fashionistas strike again!

Here at the LETU Advancement Office we take our "free food" offers seriously...when Chick-fil-A recently had its "dress up like a cow and get free chow" day, the LETU Advancement team turned out in full force...but none as adorably as our very own Director of Foundation and Church Relations, Randy Yeakley.













"MOOOOOO!!!"



In the background, our fearless Kenda is attaching black dots to her white shirt in an effor to look more bovine. But the hat is what brings Randy over the finish line as our winner.

In other LETU Advancement news, here is some advise from resident gal-about-town, Kris Erickson (Director of the Annual Fund):

"Get thee some wellies, a nice poppy rainjacket and an umbrella."




Great advise if you are a new LETU student. When it rains in Longview, it rains in droves. The wellies will be your best friends.


More postings next week as we reach the final stretch before the beginning of classes!

You have been called.

For your encouragement:
WASHINGTON (July 12, 2008) - Tony Snow, a conservative writer andcommentator who cheerfully sparred with reporters in the White Housebriefing room during a stint as President Bush's press secretary, diedrecently of colon cancer. He was 53. The following was apparently written by Tony a couple of years ago. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Blessings arrive in unexpected packages, - in my case, cancer. Those of us with potentially fatal diseases - and there are millions in America today - find ourselves in the odd position of coping with our mortality while trying to fathom God's will. Although it would be the height of presumption to declare with confidence 'What It All Means,' Scripture provides powerful hints and consolations.
The first is that we shouldn't spend too much time trying to answer the 'why' Questions: Why me? Why must people suffer? Why can't someone else get sick? We can't answer such things, and the questions themselves often are designed more to express our anguish than to solicit an answer. I don't know why I have cancer, and I don't much care. It is what it is, a plain and indisputable fact. Yet even while staring into a mirror darkly, great and stunning truths begin to take shape. Our maladies define a central feature of our existence: We are fallen. We are imperfect. Our bodies giveout. But despite this, - or because of it, - God offers the possibility of salvation and grace.

We don't know how the narrative of our lives will end, but we get to choose how to use the interval between now and the moment we meet our Creator face-to-face. Second, we need to get past the anxiety. The mere thought of dying can send adrenaline flooding through your system. A dizzy, unfocused panic seizes you. Your heart thumps; your head swims. You think of nothingness and swoon. You fear partings; you worry about the impact on family and friends. You fidget and get nowhere. To regain footing, remember that we were born not into death, but into life- and that the journey continues after we have finished our days on thisearth. We accept this on faith, but that faith is nourished by a conviction that stirs even within many non believing hearts - an intuition that the gift of life, once given, cannot be taken away.

Those who have been strickenen enjoy the special privilege of being able to fight with their might, main, and faith to live fully, richly, and exuberantly - no matter how their days may be numbered.

Third, we can open our eyes and hearts. God relishes surprise. We want lives of simple, predictable ease,- smooth, even trails as far as the eye can see,- but God likes to go off-road. He provokes us with twists and turns. He places us in predicaments that seem to defy our endurance; and comprehension- and yet don't. By His love and grace, we persevere. The challenges that make our hearts leap and stomachs churn invariably strengthen our faith and grant measures of wisdom and joy we would not experience otherwise. 'You Have Been Called'.

Picture yourself in a hospital bed. The fog of anesthesia has begun to wear away. A doctor stands at your feet; a loved one holds your hand at the side. 'It's cancer,' the healer announces. The natural reaction is to turn to God and ask him to serve as a cosmic Santa. 'Dear God, make it all go away. Make everything simpler.' But another voice whispers: 'You have been called.' Your quandary has drawn you closer to God, closer to those you love, closer to the issues that matter - and has dragged into insignificance the banal concerns that occupy our 'normal time.' There's another kind of response, although usually short-lived an inexplicable shudder of excitement, as if a clarifying moment of calamity has swept away everything trivial and tiny, and placed before us thechallenge of important questions.

The moment you enter the Valley of the Shadow of Death, things change. You discover that Christianity is not something doughy, passive, pious, and soft. Faith may be the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. But it also draws you into a world shorn of fearful caution. The life of belief teems with thrills, boldness, danger, shocks, reversals, triumphs, and epiphanies.

Think of Paul, traipsing through the known world and contemplating trips to what must have seemed the antipodes (Spain), shaking the dust from his sandals, worrying not about the morrow, but only about the moment. There's nothing wilder than a life of humble virtue, - for it is through selflessness and service that God wrings from our bodies and spirits the most we ever could give, the most we ever could offer, and the most we ever could do.

Finally, we can let love change everything. When Jesus was faced with the prospect of crucifixion, he grieved not for himself, but for us. He cried for Jerusalem before entering the holy city. From the Cross, he took on the cumulative burden of human sin and weakness, and begged for forgiveness on our behalf. We get repeated chances to learn that life is not about us, that we acquire purpose and satisfaction by sharing in God's love for others. Sickness gets us part way there. It reminds us of our limitations and dependence. But it also gives us a chance to serve the healthy. A minister friend of mine observes that people suffering grave afflictions often acquire the faith of two people, while loved ones accept the burden of two peoples' worries and fears.

'Learning How to Live'. Most of us have watched friends as they driftedt oward God's arms, not with resignation, but with peace and hope. In so doing, they have taught us not how to die, but how to live. They have emulated Christ by transmitting the power and authority of love. I sat by my best friend's bedside a few years ago as a wasting cancer took him away. He kept at his table a worn Bible and a 1928 edition of the Book of Common Prayer. A shattering grief disabled his family, many of his old friends, and at least one priest. Here was a humble and very good guy, someone who apologized when he winced with pain because he thought it made his guest uncomfortable. He retained his equanimity and good humor literally until his last conscious moment. 'I'm going to try to beat [this cancer],'he told me several months before he died. 'But if I don't, I'll see you on the other side.'

His gift was to remind everyone around him that even though God doesn't promise us tomorrow, he does promise us eternity, - filled with life and love we cannot comprehend, - and that one can in the throes of sickness point the rest of us toward timeless truths that will help us weather future storms. Through such trials, God bids us to choose: Do we believe, or do we not?Will we be bold enough to love, daring enough to serve, humble enough to submit, and strong enough to acknowledge our limitations? Can we surrenderour concern in things that don't matter so that we might devote our remaining days to things that do?

When our faith flags, he throws reminders in our way. Think of the prayer warriors in our midst. They change things, and those of us who have been on the receiving end of their petitions and intercessions know it. It is hard to describe, but there are times when suddenly the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and you feel a surge of the Spirit. Somehow you just know: Others have chosen, when talking to the Author of all creation, to lift usup, - to speak of us! This is love of a very special order.

But so is the ability to sit back and appreciate the wonder of every created thing. The mere thought of death somehow makes every blessing vivid, every happiness more luminous and intense. We may not know how our contest with sickness will end, but we have felt the ineluctable touch of God. What is man that Thou art mindful of him? We don't know much, but we know this: No matter where we are, no matter what we do, no matter how bleak or frightening our prospects, each and every one of us who believe, each and every day, lies in the same safe and impregnable place, in the hollow of God's hand.'

Tony Snow

LETU Alumni Association Balloon Glow Party

Whew! This past weekend was a scorcher - but that did not keep over 270 of you from joining us for this year's Balloon Glow Party! With fans on hand and iced water, the LeTourneau University family was able to enjoy a great kick-off to a new year. Dr. Lunsford and his family were able to join us, as well as numerous faculty and staff. But the best part was seeing and meeting so many of our local alumni and their families! We hope to keep this tradition going for years on end.

NEW FACULTY AT LETU

One of the great strenghts of our curriculum at LETU is the personal commitment of each individual faculty member. We are pleased to announce the following new faculty and covet your prayers as they begin making an impact through our students:

Robert B. Wharton, new dean of the School of Business. Dr. Wharton earned his doctorate from Washington State University, having earned his undergraduate and master’s degrees from Texas A&M and Washington State University, respectively.

Viktor P. Roudkovski will be an assistant professor of Biblical Studies and Christian Ministries. He earned his doctorate from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

Kathryn C. Baker and David R. Plunk are two new kinesiology instructors. Baker is a graduate of University of Houston with a Master’s of Education degree and Plunk earned his Master of Science degree from Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Plunk will serve as head women’s soccer coach.

LETU alumnus Andrew W. Visser will serve as aeronautical science instructor and chief flight instructor. N. Elliott Wicker will also serve as an aeronautical science instructor and will serve as assistant chief flight instructor. He earned his wings from the University of Missouri.

Visiting professor of mechanical engineering Yang Gue Jei will teach at LETU from its sister school Handong Global University in Pohang, South Korea.

Alan Jeffrey VanDoren will serve as director of flight training. He earned his Master of Science degree from Delta State University, having completed his undergraduate degree at Thomas Edison State College.

G.A.C.

The Green Advancement Council has been born! The LETU Advancement Office GAC had an informal meeting this morning to discuss how to be the best stewards of this beautiful earth God has given us. Here are some of our ideas, which we hope you will consider incorporating into your routine:

1. Recycle. Does your city offer free recycling? Take advantage of it! You can reduce your waste by up to 2/3 if you recycle glass, paper and plastic.

2. Recycle part deux. Start a compost pile...by next season, you will have beautiful mulch to feed your yard and garden. And for FREE!!! Idea file. You can build a compost bin or just pick an area of your garden. Remember: all organic material from your kitchen should also be part of your compost pile.

3. Recycle parte tres. Collect rainfall and use it to water your garden. Idea file.

If you need more inspiration other than being a good steward, recycling also saves you money!

Belcher Center Announces New Season

LeTourneau's Belcher Center announced its new season yesterday! The Belcher Center will delight LeTourneau, Longview and nearby areas with the following:

Friday, Sept. 12, 2008 John Tesh

Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008 "The Pajama Game"

Sat., Nov. 8, 2008 Doc Severinson

Sat., Nov. 22, 2008 “Neil Berg’s 100 Years of Broadway”

Fri., Feb. 6, 2009 Harlem Gospel Choir
Thurs., March 8, 2009 Parson's Dance (modern)
Mon., April 6, 2009 "Annie"

Sat., April 25, 2009 Golden Dragon Acrobats from China

New this year is a three-show “Big Fun Miniseries” which features three weekend matinee performances to suit audiences of all ages. The first show in the miniseries will be Sunday, Sept. 14, featuring Riders in the Sky, which has kept the Western music genre passed on by the Sons of the Pioneers alive for 30 years. Tomáš Kubínek, who is billed as a “certified lunatic and master of the impossible,” will present his exuberant solo show as a comic genius, virtuoso vaudevillian and irresistible charmer on Saturday, Oct. 25. This show has played to sold-out theaters world-wide! The final performance of the Big Fun Miniseries is the Mexico 2000 Ballet Folklorico on Saturday, Jan. 17, featuring 12 dancers and 12 mariachi musicians in colorful costumes presenting the fast-paced music and traditional dances from seven different regions of Mexico.

Season ticket information:

All shows begin at 7:30 p.m, except for the matinee show which begins at 3 p.m.
Season ticket prices for all eight shows are $324 for first orchestra Level A seating, $263 for second orchestra Level B seating, $201 for lower balcony Level C seating and $139 for upper balcony Level D seating.

S.E. Belcher Jr. Chapel and Performance Center
2100 S. Mobberly Ave. Longview, TX 75607

903-233-3080 (Box Office) or 1-866-550-LETU (5388)

We hope to see you at a show soon!

LETU Summer Camps

Because I am new to campus, I was pleasantly surprised to see our grounds alive again with hundreds of children! They are all partaking in LeTourneau's Summer Camps. The Camps include:

Insane Science

Fligh - Pilot

Young Adventurers

CSI: Longview

YellowJacket Sport Camps

LadyJacket Sport Camps

Many, many more!

(So many in fact, that I didn't want to type them all out...but you can find out about ALL the camps by visiting our website.) It's cool that LeTourneau is a vibrant place year-round - we were all a sad that our students were gone for the summer. But now are looking forward to having them back in the fall AND enjoying all the kids running around learning during the summer!

P.S. For those of you that read about Pate's (our office duck) baby demise (her duckling was eaten by a hawk while I was taking pictures. Traumatic.), we are happy to report that Pate is happily nesting again and has two little eggs in her nest. More on this as it develops!

P.P.S. For those of you compelled to correct my grammar, please remember that this is a blog - not perfection.

Back from Cascades!

Of the many benefits in working for LeTourneau University is the fact that personal and professional growth is encouraged, nay expected for all staff and faculty. To this effect, I was able to attend WLDI (Women's Leadership Development Institute) in Washington this past weekend and was blessed beyond measure. Here is a thought:

"Christ is the vocation." Mother Theresa

Think about this for a second...actually, I challenge you to think about it for a whole week or month or year. What does this mean to you? How can you put it into action?

How can you pray today? Please pray for our students - that Christ would become a living vocation for them, whether they engineers or teachers or moms and dads or mechanics or historians. Please pray for our faculty and staff - that our students may see in us the tangible vocation of Christ.

Being a good steward: Turn off the tap when you shave and brush your teeth. You'll save between two to four gallons of water!

The Martin Berry Farm

One of the great things about attending/working at LeTourneau is the natural beauty and bounty of North East Texas. This past weekend my husband and I made it over to Martin's Berry Farm (no relation!) for some berry pickin'. We had a wonderful date and came home with all this bounty:

While there, another visiting couple was recounting to Mr. Jack Martin that their first date had been at the Martin Berry Farm a year before and now they were happily married! A romantic at heart, I loved that story. Next time you are in Longview or nearby area, why not make a lovely memory of your own?

Martin's Berry Patch (Hallsville)
FM 968 (Gum Springs Road) south of I-20/ (903) 660-3283

Friends of LETU Travel!

Not only do LETU alumni meet in their hometowns, but now we are also offering other fun ways to get you and the family together! We invite all Alumni and Friends of LETU to join for two exciting cruises in 2009:

Vamos a Mexico!

March 16 to March 21, 2009
Leaving from Galveston, TX to Progresso, Cozumel and the high seas!

Cost: begins at $810 p/p

Reservations by July 15, 2008

*we will take reservations past this date if spots available!

Adventure in Alaska!

July 10 -17, 2009

Leaving from Seattle, WA to Hubbard Glacier, Icy Strait Point and others!

Cost: begins at $1,500 p/p

Reservatiosn by October 15, 2008*

*we will take reservations past this date if spots are availabe!

To make reservations or get more information:

Bev at Omega Travel

bev@omegatravelusa.com (800)363-0012

Make time to make time

When a friend calls to me from the road
And slows his horse to a meaning walk,

I don't stand still and look around

On all the hills I haven't hoed,

And shout from where I am, 'What is it?'

No, not as there is a time to talk.

I thrust my hoe in the mellow ground,

Blade-end up and five feet tall,

And plod: I go up to the stone wall

For a friendly visit.

-Robert Frost

School of Aeronautical Science has new home!

Dear fellow alumni,

It is a great day at LeTourneau University as we celebrate that the School of Aeronautical Science will soon have a new home! President Lunsford announced today that LETU’s aviation program will move entirely from the Longview campus into a newly acquired 50,000-square-foot facility, formerly occupied by ARMS, at 200 Airpark Drive at the East Texas Regional Airport.

Check out the new facilities on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFXq3u21Q0k

The facility with renovations is expected to cost the university an estimated $6 million. The main building includes nearly 39,000 square feet with a 10,000-square-foot airplane hangar. Renovations will add classrooms, labs, offices and meeting spaces. Close to 50,000 square feet! AMAZING!!!! About 250 students and over 30 faculty and staff will move into facilities by fall of 2009.

From Fred L. Ritchey, our own dean of the School of Aeronautical Science: “This new facility will enable the school to add new programs to meet its goal of doubling student enrollment in the next ten years. It also will unite the school’s aviation program all at one location for the first time since the mid-1960s.”

Last year, the university added two concentrations in mission aviation and military aviation. This fall, the university will begin offering two new degree concentrations: flight management and flight marketing.

One of the new programs the university hopes to offer includes training for air traffic controllers. The school applied in March to the FAA to provide the FAA AT-CTI program. Final notification from the FAA is not expected until sometime in July. Currently, there is no AT-CTI school in the state of Texas.

We hope you will join us in thanking God for his continued blessing of our campus, our students, our faculty and our staff. You have an amazing heritage through LETU and we hope to see you on campus soon…perhaps to check out the new aviation facilities!

HEALTHINESS

Is this even a word? Maybe its a "Marta-ism"...but it brings us to the close of our LETU Advancement Office Wellness Challenge...overall, we committed to 1) working out three times a week, 2) healthy eating, 3) daily devotionals and 4) reading one book-book a month. Most of us met these goals and overall the office lost almost 90lbs! Isn't that incredible?

I am thankful to work at LeTourneau where we are encourage to care for the whole person - our bodies, our spirits, our minds. Its wonderful to be employed at a place where our work week is cut down to four days so that we can save money on our commute. We are very blessed!

You can be blessed too - get out there and enjoy God's creation! And while you are at it, here are some ways to help the creation along:

Grand Canyon Trust Volunteers (gcvolunteers.org)
A free 6-day backpacking trip through the banks of the Paria River removing invasive trees as you go.

American Hiking Society (americanhiking.org)
Weeklong vacation in a state or national park while helping clear paths, repair walls, you name it! $245, including lodging and meals.

Ocean Conservancy (oceanconservancy.org)
On September 20, volunteers will scuba dive for debris.

National River Cleanup (americanrivers.org)
You'll get free bags to clean up as you canoe, float or whatever down the rivers of the US.

Just some ideas for you, courtesy of SHAPE magazine.

Speaking of veggies...

...and healthy living! Look at this loot from our garden:

Farmer's Market Time!

The LeTourneau Advancement Office "Wellness Challenge" is coming to a close - we will post our winner on Friday. In honor of the past three months when we have tried to be better to ourselves, this post will focus on green, leafy and berry-liscous stuff.

If you are lacking in space or time (or both), you can still get the joy of indulging in fresh veggies and fruits grown right here in East Texas! (I will focus on East Texas but would love to hear about opportunities in your area...if we get a good nationwide list, I will post that too!)

Here are some local farmers - visit them or the local farmer's market. This helps you meet your veggie and fruit needs while also supporting the local economy!

LOCAL FARMS
- Martin's Berry Patch (Hallsville)

FM 968 (Gum Springs Road) south of I-20
(903) 660-3283

- McPeak Orchards (Gilmer/Pittsburg)

U.S. 271, 8 miles north of Gilmer

(903) 762-6477

- Efurd Orchard (Gilmer/Pittsburg)

U.S. 271, 3 miles south of Pittsburg

(903) 856-2253

- The Greer Farm (http://www.greerfarm.com/)

- Texas Blueberry Farm (http://www.texasblueberryfarm.com/)

FARMER'S MARKETS

- Longview
6:30AM until sold; M/W/F *begins Friday (5/30)
Ag Pavillion, Maude Cobb
(903) 237-1230

- Panola

7AM until sold; M/W/F/S *begins Saturday (5/31)

Walmart parking lot, Carthage

(903)693-0380

- Kilgore

8AM until sold; Saturdays *begins 5/31
South Kilgore Street next to Crim Theater

(903)988-4117

- Harrison County

7AM until sold; T/T/S

Lot on Wellington Street one block south of Courthouse

(903) 935-8413

- Cass County

5AM until sold; T/T/S *begins 5/22

Former Sonic on U.S. 59 in Atlanta

(903)796-3296

Enjoy some wholesome goodness!

Remembering LeTourneau - Vintage '73

Very often, we get awesome insight into our LeTourneau heritage...here is a tid-bit from Walter W. Henry, Class of '73:

"The rule was to wear a tie for Sunday lunch. Mrs. Obetts was an older lady of the well mannered type who served as a lunchroom monitor. She also was very kind and had a great sense of humor. Some of our more extreme techos would slouch in on Sunday wearing a tee shirt and a tie. She would laugh and scold “You know the rule.” They would say “But the rule says wear a tie, and I HAVE a tie.” I think one fellow tried a tee shirt with a tie painted onto its front. They loved to bait her and hear her scold while she tried to be serious and she tried to not laugh.
I consider the dining experience a highlight of my time at LeTourneau."

The Servant Statue

When you visit campus, the Belcher Center's garden is graced by "The Servant" - a lifesize statue depicting Christ's washing of the disciple's feet. Since 2007, each student graduating from LeTourneau has received a desk-size replica at commencement. It is our hope that the statue will serve as reminder of how we are called as Christians (internal) and also as a witness to colleagues (external.) If you are a 2008 LETU grad and did not receive your statue for a A or B reasons, please let us know at the Alumni office (alumni@letu.edu) and we will try to help you.

Houston Graduation (May, 2008)

Some photos I was able to sneak of the preliminaries to the Houston Commencement last week.

Practicing with the hood...

I got to shake all these hands and see all the happy faces of accomplishment and pride!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Sin comunicacion

Well, four days with a severe cold, one week working on a house and one day (and counting!) of a crazy neck kink have kept me from blogging...my apologies! Luckily things are quiet on campus. This week, President Lunsford announced that LETU staff would begin 4-day weeks for summer. This is an attempt to help LETU employees defray rising gas costs - isn't it wonderful that our President and Cabinet are so conscientious? It certainly is a blessing to work here.

In other news, I am still figuring out how to download photos from my camera and will add some cool shots soon!

In Memoriam

Message from President Lunsford:

One of the university's beloved first ladies has left us for her eternal home.

You will want to join me in mourning the loss of former first lady Edith Hardwick, 91, who died peacefully in her sleep early Friday morning, May 2. She was the widow of LETU's first chancellor, Dr. Harry Hardwick, who served as president of the university from 1968 to 1975. During the Hardwicks' service, the university first gained SACS accreditation (1970) and built the B.A. Skipper Dining Hall (1970), Margaret Estes Learning Resource Center (1974) and Memorial Student Center (1975). Mrs. Hardwick had moved from her home in Longview to Coon Rapids, MN, in 2004.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorial gifts be made to LeTourneau University student scholarships.

Dale Lunsford
President

Its quiet...

The student body has packed up, cleaned up and moved on out. It is quiet. Too quiet. And I can't wait for August until they all come back - en masse, to delight and challenge us once more!

For those of you left here in Longview, I would like to pass on a few of my favorite places to dine and shop - kudos to these vendors who get an A from me for customer service and quality. (These are the opinions of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect anyone elses.)

That Girl Boutique (Downtown Longview)
- cute and reasonably priced clothes for gals; awesome sales

Deb's Diner (Downtown Longview)
- fast and reasonably priced lunch

Mario's Mexican Bistro (Judson and the Loop)
- fresh Mexican fare

Have a great Monday everyone!

With a THUNDEROUS NOISE...

...the academic year came to an end. The sky darkened around 9AM and for an hour or so, we were cloistered in safety. Waiting. The alarms were ringing to an auspicious beginning - commencement less than 24-hours away. Sitting in the quiet, listening to the murmuring around me, I thought back to my commencement, eleven years ago...and a small little poem wound its way up from my memory. I pass it on to our graduating class...

If
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them; "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

-R.K.

Congratulations to the CLASS OF 2008!!!

Alotta alotta

The conversation came up today during lunch regarding the rigours of being at LeTourneau...and how despite the class load, our students manage to be very socially conscious and involved! Here are just a few of the organizations that help make the LeTourneau the BEST!!!!

Yellow Jacket Activities Council (YAC)
LeTourneau Student Ministries (LSM)
Photography Club
Association for Computing Machinery
Intersociety Council
Automotive Society
2 C.A.R.E. Council
Commuter Club
Project Ethiopia
LeTourneau Singers
Stage Right
Tea Enthusiasts Association
Radio Club
Juggling Club
Webb Historical Society
Socratic Forum
Water Polo Club

As you can see, our students find a ton of fun ways to connect, make friends and let off some steam!

Letting Off Some Steam

It is finals week at LeTourneau...the dining room is quiet, the students are overwhelmed as the year winds down. One of the great traditions at LeTourneau is the annual destruction of an old car. This tradition serves three purposes:

1. Lets off steam and anxiety and stress.
2. Raises for money for the LETU Auto Society.
3. Gives student the opportunity to let off steam and anxiety and stress. (Yes, this is so important we list it twice!)

The guys taking the money are even gentlemen enough to let the gals have a go for free. There you have it!

How Can You Pray: Please pray for our students as they struggle through this last week of the year. Pray for them hard.

Advancement Weight Loss

The LeTourneau Advancement Office continues on its quest to lose weight, be more active and get more healthy! As a group, we have lost a total of 65 pounds - bringing us a bit closer to better health. Have you been treating your heart and body right? If not, skip the fast food lunch today and get some fresh fruit and cheese from your local grocer instead! You'll be happy you did.

For Your Viewing Pleasure...

Kris Erickson (Annual Fund Director) and I (Director of Alumni and Parent Relations) have been staring at our computers too long...crunching too many numbers...proofing too many proofs...here is the PROOF!!!!

LETU Leading Ladies Luncheon Success

We had a very successful Leading Ladies Luncheon...over 124 East Texas women came to support scholarships for LETU students. Our speaker, Mary Whelchel delighted attendees with "Lifestyle Gardening", a portion of which is below. We hope that you will join us for the Leading Ladies Luncheon 2009!

"How Does Your Garden Grow" by Mary Whelchel

For your "Lifestyle Garden," you need:
Three rows of peas:
"Peas" of soul Romans 5:1
"Peas" of mind Phillipians 4:7
"Peas" of heart Colossians 3:15
Three rows of squash:
Squash gossip Ephesians 4:29
Squash indifference Romans 12:11
Squash selfishness Mark 8:34-35
Three rows of lettuce:
"Lettuce" be faithful Galatians 6:9
"Lettuce" be pure Romans 13:12 -13
"Lettuce" love one another John 13:35

To find out more about Mary Whelchel, who serves on the LETU Board of Trustees, please visit her website, The Christian Working Woman. Many blessings to you all!!

For the Longview Newsjournal Article, click here.

LETU Alumni Association Meet-N-Greet

This past Saturday, LETU Alumni met in Dallas to mingle and talk business. Brad Erickstad, LETU Alumnus, was our featured speaker regarding Oil&Gas Workforce Development in the Dallas area. We hope tha you will join us for our next LETU Alumni Association Meet-N-Greet!