One University Changing the World

Transcription

1 One University Changing the World President s Address La Sierra University Convocation September 27, 2012 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. As God s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Ecclesiastes 9:10, Proverbs 16:3, Colossians 3:12-17, NIV At the beginning of this new academic year, it is my pleasure to greet you. Students, we are delighted that you have chosen to study at La Sierra University. Our hope for each of you is that you will sense God s blessing as you embark on this year s academic journey. One of the things I love about our learning community is that we come from all parts of the world. We represent a vast array of countries, backgrounds, languages, religions, experiences, academic programs, departments, divisions, and schools. Some of us have our home in the College of Arts and Sciences, some in the HMS Richards Divinity School, some in the School of Education, and some in the Zapara School of Business. Yet the bigger truth is that we are all, individually and corporately, part of ONE university a university in which each of us plays a unique and important role. Just a few weeks ago, my wife, Deanna, and I joined our Honors students and their professor, Dr. Suzanne Mallery, along with her family, in Istanbul, Turkey. It was a remarkable opportunity to spend time with our students Hew, Cidnee, Nerlin, Ron, Alisha, and Rachel. Rarely do I get to spend this much time with one group of students, and I loved it. One of the memorable experiences we shared that week was to attend a Sufi worship service. Dr. Mallery taught us that this order of Islam was founded in the 13 th century by the followers of Rumi, the mystical poet and great Sufi master. Sufis seek a close relationship with God, and for Rumi it was best achieved through chants, prayers, music, and a whirling dance. As visitors to the monastery, we sat on the edges of the room while a large congregation of men crowded around their spiritual leader. All listened reverently as he spoke. Soon

2 he began to chant, and it was not long until rhythmic music and the chanting of the worshippers filled the air. Eventually a group of dervish devotees entered the hall. Attired in long white robes, felt hats, and black cloaks, they bowed to each other, acknowledging the Divine breath that has been breathed into all human beings. After each of the dervishes had done this, they knelt and removed their black cloaks. One by one, after bowing to the master, they began to spin. Whirling dervishes are representative of the moon and they spin on the outside of the Master who is representative of the sun. Spinning on his right foot, the dervish receives God's love through the upward facing palm, it flows through his heart, and then down the left arm. They view themselves as a conduit, channeling God's love outward to the rest of the world. The following day, we met with the gentleman who had arranged for our visit a friend of Dr. Mallery s and himself a dervish. He spoke of the love he hoped we had experienced, and then he reminded us of something he had said to us as we were driving to the service the night before: You will never forget this experience. It will fill your dreams. I find his words true. Even now, I can see these men dressed in white who, one, at a time, would be released by the master and would begin to spin each in his own way, movements slightly different from those around them, the master making certain that proper distances were maintained so that each would be able to spin unheeded. I was deeply moved by the way in which, together, they created a visually arresting whole: orbiting within a galaxy of worship and praise, embracing the world, bringing to it love and grace. And I thought about each one of us and of the work we have been given to do. Some of us are teachers. Some students. Some of us work to support the important work that takes place in our classrooms. Some are pastors and counselors. Some cook, some clean, some care for the lawns. Some open up the gym and some make certain that the servers which provide our internet are working. Some of us do research, some of us write papers, some of us give assignments, and some of us grade those assignments. We have all been given something to do and every job, every role in this university, is important. And like the whirling dervishes that capture my imagination, when we do this together, when we give it our very best, we create a magnificent community. I love the passages from the Bible that were read by Dr. Law. Each speaks of the way we are to approach our work and the hopeful attitudes we are to embody. The author of Ecclesiastes encourages us to never forget that Whatever our hands find to do, we are to do it with all our might. (Ecclesiastes 9:10, NIV) The author of Proverbs has a similar word for each of us: Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. (Proverbs 16:3)

3 Today, what are you committed to? What plans burn in your soul, what wakes you up in the middle of the night, what fills you with anticipation? How are you going to change the world? There are innumerable ways in which the people of La Sierra University are changing the world. Let me share a few of their stories. Faculty member Dulce Pena, working with the Center for Conflict Resolution in the Zapara School of Business, has helped to develop an anti-bullying initiative aimed at educating teachers in K-12 schools throughout North America. In partnership with the Adventist Church, La Sierra University will impact more than 1,000 schools with this important program that addresses the increasingly pervasive problem of school violence and bullying. Student John Payne, Senior Chemistry major and South Hall RA, will continue to focus his Honor s project on finding a cure for leukemia. Working for the past two summers at Penn State Medical Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and at Loma Linda University and here at La Sierra, John is captivated by his research. Those of us who know John will not be surprised when his research does, indeed, help to find a cure for a disease that globally kills more than 300,000 people every year. Faculty members Trisha Famisaran and Warren Trenchard led out in the development of the One in Christ campaign, resulting in nearly 2,000 signatures calling for an end to gender discrimination when it comes to the ordination of Seventh-day Adventist ministers. Many of you in this room supported this significant agenda, and on August 19, the Pacific Union Conference voted to ordain pastors regardless of gender. Students Ashley Baumgaertel and Joshua Zonker brought acclaim to our university s athletic program by being named 2012 Scholar Athletes of the Year by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Ashley was Women s Basketball Team Leader and Captain; she also played on the Softball team, and she is currently playing on the Volleyball team. This fall she is beginning her MBA in Finance in the Zapara School of Business. Joshua Zonker is unable to be with us today as he is working as a teacher at Cross Roads High School. He is now enrolled in the School of Education where he is pursuing a Masters in Teaching and is our Men s Basketball Team leader and Captain. Faculty member Elvin Rodriguez spent time this summer at the Adventist University of Chile. While there he gave seminars on music and piano pedagogy. He also performed a concert on Sabbath and a classical recital in the town's Municipal Auditorium. His presentations were attended and celebrated by faculty from all the major universities in Chile.

4 Student Kate Case, Senior Global Studies/Political Science Major, spent last year in Washington, DC at the International Justice Mission. She recently interned with California Against Slavery, working in support of the November ballot proposition. This fall she is leading a Breakout Worship entitled Activist Church: Creating Social Change from the Inside Out. She will be asking us to help her as she plans a La Sierra Lobby Day to lobby our state leaders on anti-human trafficking bills. Faculty member Susan Patt, from the Art Department, directs the university s Service Learning program. She is today joined by Carmen Phillips, Director of the After School Program in the Alvord Unified School District, La Sierra s oldest and longest-standing community partner. This past year 899 students and 40 faculty members worked with 33 partner organizations in our local community, bringing opportunity, love, and hope. In 2012 President Obama again recognized La Sierra University as one of 110 institutions of higher education to be included on the President s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction. Staff Member Audrey Gaspard, from Financial Aid, has a heart for international students. Her garage has become a food pantry whereby hundreds of food baskets every month are put together for international students and their families. Last year she and her husband created a non-profit International Student Pantry to raise monies that keeps the pantry stocked and ready for students. As Bobby Brown asserts, For many students she is their angel and LSU mother who watches out for them, feeds them, counsels them, and prays with them. She is a gift from God." Students Alejandra Najarro, Junior Nursing major, and Nick Norton, Senior Biology major, spent last year as two of 14 La Sierra University student missionaries. Alejandra served in Peru as part of the nursing labor and delivery team...and she delivered 4 babies! She used personal funds to ensure that the clinic had medicines for critical patients and was the only missionary or doctor on site for several weeks when others had to leave. Nick worked in Zambia where he built 46 schools and churches. Living as a nomad, Nick spent most nights in his tent. His recent photo essay in La Sierra Magazine quoted him as saying: Building churches and schools in different villages each week gave me the chance to meet hundreds of children. As the day s work moved forward and the sun grew hotter, the encouraging smiles, laughs, and hugs from the kids were my greatest fuel to keep building. Faculty member Charles Teel, from the HMS Richards Divinity School, dreamed of a space on our campus that would speak of our university s commitment to justice and peacemaking. Today the Path of the Just recognizes the lives of men and women who have made a dramatic difference in our world through their faithfulness, boldness, and compassion. The Path has brought world-wide recognition to the values of our university and serves as a reminder to each of us

5 as students, faculty, and staff that we are all called to take our place on the Path of the Just through the actions of our lives and the commitments of our hearts. As I think back to that night in Istanbul, I can see the dervishes begin to spin, one at a time, released by the master, orbiting within a galaxy of worship and praise, embracing the world. And today, I think of our university. God, our Master, sends us forth to embrace our world. To be His hands, His voice, His agents of transformation. Let us never forget we change the world when we give voice to someone who has none. We change the world when we prepare for lives of service. We change the world when we fight for justice. We change the world when we live and act ethically. La Sierra University, we change the world when we love. Randal Wisbey President La Sierra University