Cornerstone Magazine 2011

CORNERSTONE UNIVERSITY 2011 1

CREAT IV IT Y 101

ON THE PULSE OF MODERN HEALTH CARE

SERVING THE UNDERSERVED

2 BUILD A LIFE THAT MATTERS

Staying on top of your claSSeS and your budget

Managing your Money at ScHool juSt becaMe a lot eaSier.With Virtual Wallet® Student by pnc, you

can see all your money in one place, so

you know what’s for bills, what’s saved,

and what’s free to spend. Helpful tools

like danger days, a weekly calendar,

and parent alerts take the stress out of

keeping track of your finances, so you

can focus on other things. and with free Mobile and text Message banking,

plus pnc atMs around town and one on campus, there’s no easier way to

access and manage your money at school. to open your account, stop by your

local branch at 3950 plainfield ne or call 1-877-PNC-1000.

©2010 The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. All rights reserved. PNC Bank, National Association. Member fdic UNV PDF 1210-080

TAbLE OF CONTENTS

Pictured: the Welch Clock Tower built in 2006 to honor Dr. Wilbert Welch, former president and

chancellor since 1984, and his wife, for their many years of service to the university.

2010, PHOTO BY MATTHEW FOWLER

ON THE COVER

CORNERSTONE UNIVERSIT Y 2011

CREAT IV IT Y 101Professor Don Perini has

a goal: unleash students’

creative potential to develop

them into the skilled innovators

and problem solvers the world

desperately needs.

b y a n n b y l e

6


Cornerstone University

and its Professional and

Graduate Studies program

reaches into Grand Rapids’

emerging medical culture thanks

to the new Health Care Master

of Business Administration

program.

b y a n n b y l e

12

EXCELLENCE ON THE STAGE


An anonymous donor

recognized the need for

equitable access to theological

training for those serving in

urban settings — GRTS saw it,

too. A dream was matched with

a donor and the Urban Cohorts

Initiative was birthed.

b y a n n b y l e

16

CU PARTNERS WITH BIG TICKET FESTIVAL26

Staying on top of your claSSeS and your budget

Managing your Money at ScHool juSt becaMe a lot eaSier.With Virtual Wallet® Student by pnc, you

can see all your money in one place, so

you know what’s for bills, what’s saved,

and what’s free to spend. Helpful tools

like danger days, a weekly calendar,

and parent alerts take the stress out of

keeping track of your finances, so you

can focus on other things. and with free Mobile and text Message banking,

plus pnc atMs around town and one on campus, there’s no easier way to

access and manage your money at school. to open your account, stop by your

local branch at 3950 plainfield ne or call 1-877-PNC-1000.

©2010 The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. All rights reserved. PNC Bank, National Association. Member fdic UNV PDF 1210-080

CREAT IV IT Y 101

CU SEES RECORd HIGH ENROLLmENT

jOURNALISm PROGRAm CONTINUES TO GROW


In the past year we have made

major strides in expanding our

academic programs and increasing

academic rigor. We have deepened

our commitment to the spiritual

growth of our students, and added

to our already-successful adult and

online learning opportunities.

The current financial growth

and astounding enrollment rates

remind us of God’s favor on

Cornerstone. As we continue to

focus resources and energies on

our Christ-centered goal to build

lives that matter, I believe CU is

quickly becoming one of West

Michigan’s most valuable assets.

The students, faculty and staff at

Cornerstone are committed to

effectively engaging the cultures

of our world with the transforming

power of the gospel, and are

living this out in ways that enrich

Grand Rapids and our surrounding

communities.

The Cornerstone Magazine will

highlight how our faculty, staff and

students are living out our goal:

Building Lives that Matter. You will

see a thread of what really matters

at Cornerstone. Jesus matters.

Resources matter. Academics

matter. Community matters.

It is my prayer that you will be

both encouraged and inspired by

the stories of Christ’s work in and

through us.

Blessings in 2011,

FROM THE PRESIDENT2011 | CoRnERSTonE.EDU

1001 E BELTLInE AVE nE

GRAnD RAPIDS MI 49525

MAIn SWITCHBoARD: 616.949.5300

ExECUTIVE DIRECToR oF

MARkETInG AnD CoMMUnICATIonS

BOB sAck

WRITER/EDIToR

kELLi cOTTRELL

ART DIRECToR

cAROLinE cAHOOn (cU ‘03)

GRAPHIC DESIGnER

kARMEn LOW

PRoJECT MAnAGER

kATHERinE FELBER

PHoToGRAPHER

kARMEn LOW

WEB DEVELoPMEnT CooRDInAToR

jAcLYn visBEEn

ConTRIBUTInG WRITERS

sTAsHA giEsE (cU ‘13)

nicOLE Ricks (cU ‘13)

Ann BYLE

ALYssA HELM (cU ‘13)

AMEnA AnDERsOn (cU ‘11)

RYAn WEngER (cU ‘12)

ConTRIBUTInG PHoToGRAPHERS

RYAn PRins

sHORELinE sTUDiOs

A & M PHOTOgRAHPHY

MATTHEW FOWLER

AnDY visOckis PHOTOgRAPHY

cOAsTLinE sTUDiOs

gREg YODER

CoVER PHoTo BY

MATTHEW FOWLER

SPECIAL THAnkS To:

sPEcTRUM HEALTH

W.A.R. cHEsT

AS A PERSON PASSIONATE ABOUT COmmUNITY, HIGHER EdUCATION ANd, mOST OF ALL, SERVING jESUS, I Am EXCITEd ABOUT THE FORWARd mOVEmENT AT CORNERSTONE UNIVERSITY.

Joe Stowell

President of Cornerstone University

cornerstone Magazine is an annual publication produced by the Marketing and Communications office at Cornerstone University. Approximately 25,000 copies are distributed to friends of the university to connect them to happenings at CU.

Cornerstone University exists to empower men and women to excel as influencers in our world for Christ by offering a student-focused learning community where Jesus Christ is central.

Slap on a pair of these red/blue shades, and you’ll see you the way we see you: In 3D. With depth and dimension. Because you’re more than a GPA waiting to happen. More than a brain in waiting. You are your head, heart, hands, hair, hello and hold the pickles! You are depth and dimension with friends, goals, faith, heart, love, summer jobs, top tunes and whatever else makes you, you.

You’re 3D. We’re CU, a university for 3D people. We offer programs like digital media and social work, to business and youth ministry. So if you’re looking for a strong university full of people with a strong love for Christ that’ll give you a strong future, check us out online or call us and ask for a “CU IN 3D” brochure. Think of it as a free 3D novel about your next four years.

CU stands for Cornerstone University. It also stands for Call Us, or Contact Us! That’s step one to getting into a college that sees you in 3D — that’s step one to being who you are while becoming who you’re meant to be. CU here. CU in 3D!

[email protected]

800.787.9778

1001 E BELTLINE AVE NEGRAND RAPIDS MI 49525


CU SEES RECORD HIGH ENROLLMENTCORNERSTONE UNIVERSITY WAS RECENTLY FEATUREd IN THE GRANd RAPIdS PRESS AS THE SCHOOL WITH THE highest percent increase IN ENROLLmENT AmONG ALL OF WEST mICHIGAN’S PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

The university’s 8.1 percent increase

this year is the school’s largest jump

in enrollment since 2000.

Meanwhile, some nearby colleges

and universities experienced declines

in enrollment.

Cornerstone has a record total of

3,054 students enrolled in all of its

programs including: undergraduate,

seminary and Professional and

Graduate Studies.

“That tells people on the outside

that something good is going

on here,” said Dr. Joe Stowell,

president of Cornerstone University.

“Everybody likes to be in a place

that’s growing. It’s kind of like we are

on a winning team, and that affects

faculty and student moral.”

Increasing enrollment is a result

of the hardworking recruitment by

the admissions staff, particularly the

experience a prospective student

receives when visiting campus on

a Golden Eagle Day, according to

Provost Rick ostrander.

“A student’s visit to campus

makes or breaks the deal – meeting

students and staying in dorms,

meeting professors and sitting in on

classes,” ostrander said.

Retention is another factor to

which Stowell attributes the growth.

“one reason for the big growth

this year has been retention,” he

said. “I think it reflects that we are

intentionally trying to make this

environment a place where students

thrive. our vision statement says that

we want this to be a place where

students thrive as followers of Christ.

So if we are making progress on that

then students want to return.”

Cornerstone’s undergraduate

enrollment totals for fall 2010 were

1,271, the university’s largest since

2006. And the freshman class of

2014 is the largest class size to date.

“You can recruit and have a big

class, but if you don’t have a good

environment you don’t retain,”

Stowell said.

Both ostrander and Stowell agree

that numerical growth isn’t a big

priority.

“It’s a fallacy among Christians

that size equals success,” ostrander

said. “I don’t equate growth with

success, but it does fit with other

indicators that we continue to

provide better academics to

students. It’s a byproduct and

confirmation that we are doing

something right.”

Stowell said there is a real value

to a smaller college community.

“We are not excited to think

that one day we may be at 10,000

students,” he said. “We may not

want to be at 10,000. We may feel

that a Cornerstone education is

best served at 3,000 or whatever

the number is. We are working

on where that mark is where we

can still offer real quality and

community.”

The Cornerstone administration is

looking at campus development to

determine what types of buildings,

faculty and services are needed to

accommodate a growing student

body.

More students on campus,

however, will not affect financial aid

or tuition. Stowell said he plans on

keeping financial aid as generous

as possible and tuition as low as

possible.

The growth is projected to

continue this fall.

“We have seen a good number of

applications,” said Stowell in

January. “They are already above

this time last year. We think we are

on a trajectory where word is

getting out that good things are

happening on this campus.”

b y n i c o l e r i c k s ( c U ‘ 1 3 )

Cornerstone University

FEATURE

PROFESSOR dON PERINI dEFINES CREATIVITY AS THE ABILITY TO COmE UP WITH SOmETHING NEW ANd USEFUL.

THAT dEFINITION APPLIES PERFECTLY TO IdS 101: CREATIVITY, INNOVATION ANd PROBLEm SOLVING.b y a n n b y l e


“You have one minute to come up with five

description words,” he hollers. “now come

up with five locations. now five random

words. Pick one from each category. now

tell me how you’ll use those three things in a

television commercial.”

In 20 minutes, students have learned

the fundamentals of brainstorming. It’s not

the ideas he’s concerned about, but the

knowledge of how to come up with them.

“I want them to know that brainstorming

yields lots of ideas because more ideas

increases the chances of one great idea,” said

Perini. “The brain can’t keep two opposite

things opposite. It automatically tries to

connect them.”

Don Perini came up with the idea for a class

on creativity while reading on the subject.

He asked himself, “What would it look like to

teach a class on creativity?” He put together

an all-new class curriculum that turned

creativity into one of the most useful skills a

student can learn.

“Creativity is something to be developed.

We all have the potential for creativity,” said

Perini, who came to Cornerstone University in

2003 to redesign the youth ministry program.

The first creativity class, offered as an

elective in May term 2006, had 10 students.

The Spring 2007 class had 70 students. By

Fall 2008, the revamped core curriculum

included IDS 101 as a requirement for

all freshmen and Perini had a new title:

Associate Professor of Ministry and Creativity.

Cornerstone University is the only school

to make creativity a requirement for all

freshmen.

“It was like, ‘Grab your surfboard and ride

the wave,’” said Perini.

And forget the lectures. Constant motion

is the norm in creativity classes. Students

stretch and move, break into groups, move

to new groups, write on white boards lining

the walls, play games. They think about ways

to create a new and useful classroom (think

bean bag chairs and floor lighting). They

devise ways to revamp the cafeteria menu;

the chapel format; education in general.

“I want students to have the brain that

enables them to come up with new and useful

ideas, products, processes, etc.,” said Perini.

“I want them to be able to ask, later in life,

‘How do I make this manufacturing line move

better?’ or ‘How can this car be designed

better?’”

The goal, he said, is not to be a creative

teacher but to do things to make creative

students. Each activity is designed to

Perini’s class splits into groups to participate in active learning — games, brainstorming sessions and small group discussions.

“HOW mANY OF YOU KNOW WHAT A TICONdEROGA #2 IS?

IT’S A YELLOW PENCIL,” PERINI SAYS IN CLASS. “ANd YOU’RE

GOING TO COmE UP WITH A COmmERCIAL FOR IT.”

THE CLASS dOESN’T KNOW THEY ARE LEARNING THE

PERINI PYRAmId, A TOOL HE INVENTEd TO TEACH BASIC

BRAINSTORmING TECHNIqUES.

FEATURE

Prof. Don Perini works with students on descriptive words.


encourage new ways to be creative and innovative.

He and fellow creativity teacher Jeanette Banashak use two

of Perini’s own works on creativity as textbooks. “Rhyming with

orange” helps students learn how to unleash their creative

potential. “Capture Machine” offers visual cues to encourage

creativity. Students must also write an essay that examines the life

of one creative person (ie. Leonardo da Vinci, Sir Isaac newton),

write a review of a book on creativity using the “Freeway” method

of reading, and – often the pinnacle of the class – design a new

card or board game.

“Each thing we do has intention and purpose,” he said.

Perini moves beyond creativity to explore tangential subjects

of innovation and problem solving. He wants students to ask

themselves questions such as, “How do I fix this?” and “How can I

make this process more efficient?”

“The world is changing,” he said. “Businesses are changing, and

their products must change and evolve as well if they want to

remain in operation. Creative employees come up with original

and useful ideas that keep the business going.”

Creativity, innovation and problem solving have a strong

redemptive element as well. Teachers, business leaders, law

enforcement personnel, factory workers exercise redemption

when they come up with new and useful ways to benefit people.

“We are made in God’s image. He is creative and so are we,” said

Perini. “We want students, who go on into the world, to unleash

their creative potential to change lives in the world.”

Perini envisions a creativity minor offered at Cornerstone

University and dreams of more than just one class requirement.

He sees potential in offering creativity classes pertinent to each

major at junior and senior levels.

“Creativity is a lifestyle, a way of thinking,” he said. “If we are to

be influencers and Build Lives That Matter, we have to be in

positions of influence. And to be there, we have to be able to

come up with new and useful ways to do things.”

ELIzABETH WING (CU ‘10) TOOK mORE THAN HER dEGREE IN BIBLE ANd YOUTH mINISTRY TO HER FIRST POST-COLLEGE jOB.

She took the lessons she learned

from IDS 101 straight into her roll as

programmer for Spring Hill Camps.

“I took a lot of what I learned and

use it daily in my job,” said Wing, who

creates and implements ideas, events,

and programs for guests and campers

at Spring Hill. She took the creativity

class as a sophomore, then spent a

semester as creativity assistant during

her senior year. She graduated in May

2010.

“Professor Perini taught us about

freedom and principles. I can think

of something really crazy for Spring

Hill, come up with all these ideas, then

bring it down to start implementing

it. There’s the freedom to brainstorm,

then comes making the ideas useful,”

she said.

Wing also uses her knowledge of

what kind of thinker she is – highly

divergent – to understand that she is

an idea person, but needs convergent

thinkers to narrow down her ideas.

“I also learned the beauty of

creativity. I’m capable of being

creative, and now I can help empower

others to be creative,” said Wing, 22.

“Professors Perini and Banashak have

opened my eyes to what it means to

live a creative life and really redeem

the world through creativity. It was a

gift to learn that.”

FOR mORE INFORmATION ON PERINI’S CREATIVITY TOOLS ANd CREATIVITY CONSULTING BUSINESS, CONTACT HIm AT 616.949.5300, EXT. 1944.

Students work in small groups to develop an innovative board game to be evaluated by their peers and professors.


Cornerstone journalism students

won 11 awards in the Michigan Press

Association’s Better newspaper

College Contest and four awards

in Baptist Press’ Excellence in

Journalism contest.

The Herald, Cornerstone

University’s student-run campus

newspaper, competed in Division

2 of the MPA newspaper contest,

against schools such Hillsdale

College, Calvin College and Ferris

State University.

In the Baptist Press contest,

the Herald competed in Division 1

against 14 colleges and universities,

including noted schools such as

Liberty University, Biola University,

Patrick Henry College and Baylor

University. This was The Herald’s

first time competing in Baptist

Press’ contest.

Amena Anderson (CU ‘11) won

two awards for her front-page story

“Michigan legislature passes texting

bill”: first place for a news story

in the Baptist Press contest and

second place in the MPA contest in

the news story category.

other notable awards included

second place overall in the Baptist

Press contest and third place overall

in the MPA contest.

overall, the Herald won five first

place awards, four second place

awards, five third place awards and

one honorable mention.

“God has continued to bring us

very talented students who ply their

writing, photography and editing

skills on the campus newspaper,

‘The Herald’,” said Alan Blanchard,

associate professor of journalism

and director of the journalism

department. “Winning awards is a

gratifying event and a validation

of the abilities and skills of our

journalism students.”

With 169 students majoring in the

Communication and Media Studies

Division (CMS), the journalism

program has grown dramatically

since last year, according to Pete

Muir, CMS division chair and

assistant professor of media.

Each year the journalism major

evolves to keep up with trends in

the field.

“A few years ago, after exploring

(and) studying programs at other

universities like northwestern

University, Indiana University,

Hillsdale College, Michigan State

University and others, and in my

contacts with newspaper editors

around the state, it became

apparent to me that we needed

to equip our journalism students

with some basic skills in the use of

videography, still photography and

audio,” Blanchard said.

When people think of journalism,

they think of writing for the

newspaper, and newspapers seem

to be dying, Muir said.

But Blanchard has made sure

journalism graduates are equipped

with tools to get them hired.

“Journalism is evolving and has

been doing so for at least the

past 10 years, as print media-like

newspapers and magazines are fully

engaged in creating and embracing

their own online publications that

involve the use of video, audio, still

photography and the printed word,”

Blanchard said.

The skills a journalist needs are

becoming broader, Muir said. CU’s

goal – specifically in the journalism

program – is to provide students

with an education that is both deep

and broad.

An academic team is designing

the schedule and curriculum for

photography as a minor. And while

the photography minor would

include taking feature and news

photos for a newspaper, the minor

would include ways to capture

wedding photos and nature, he said.

“Students are not taught to be

good journalists; students are

taught to be good Christians in the

world of journalism,” said Provost

Rick ostrander. He believes that one

reason the journalism program has

flourished is because of its focus on

Christianity.

AwARD-wINNING jOURNAL ISM PROGRAM CONTINUES TO GROw

OF THE mANY GROWING mAjORS ON CAmPUS, ONE mAjOR CONTINUES TO WIN AWARdS ANNUALLY – jOURNALISm.

FOR THE COmPLETE LIST OF 2010 AWARdS WON BY THE HERALd SCAN THE qR COdE TO THE RIGHT WITH A BARCOdE SCANNING APP ON YOUR SmARTPHONE.

The CornersTone sTudenT FundHelping Build lives tHat Matter

Cornerstone University has a rich heritage of equipping students with biblical truths to make an impact in the world for Christ. We are training hundreds of students to have a passion for global influence through the transforming power of the gospel!

Your support is valuaBle to us!

No gift is too small. Your participation and contribution will help support the development of students, faculty and staff. It will better our University as a whole and enhance students’ lives through scholarships, improved classroom environments and help create an environment where students thrive. The Cornerstone Student Fund keeps tuition affordable!

To support and provide for students today, please go to www.cornerstone.edu/give or call 616.254.1659 to give a life-changing gift to the Cornerstone Student Fund.

I am graTeFul For The donaTIons beCause They help Improve our wonderFul Campus and beCause They provIde an opporTunITy To aTTend ThIs sChool aT less CosT Than IF They hadn’T donaTed. Eric BEaudoin (cu ‘13)

FEATURE


b y a n n b y l e

CHYRISHA BROWN YEARNS TO BECOmE A PERSON OF FAITH, A PERSON OF KNOWLEdGE ANd A HEALTH CARE WORKER WHO TRULY UNdERSTANdS THE PEOPLE SHE HELPS.

WHEN SHE LEARNEd ABOUT THE HEALTH CARE mASTER OF BUSINESS AdmINISTRATION PROGRAm OFFEREd BY CORNERSTONE UNIVERSITY’S PROFESSIONAL ANd GRAdUATE STUdIES PROGRAm, SHE KNEW IT WAS THE PLACE FOR HER.


Brown, who has been working at the University of

Michigan Hospital after graduating from the university,

moved back to her hometown of Grand Rapids, Mich.,

in part to be near family and in part because of the new

Health Care M.B.A. program.

“I knew an M.B.A. would open a lot of doors and I

knew I wanted to work in health care; then I heard about

the program and talked to admissions counselor Leslie

Iverson. It’s all falling together in a way no one could

have structured,” said Brown. “What stands out are the

program’s faith component and its cultural perspective.”

Grand Rapids, once known for furniture and

automobile industries, is now known for its cutting-

edge medical research facilities and innovative health

care strategies and alliances. Cornerstone and its PGS

program reaches into Grand Rapids’ emerging medical

culture thanks to the new Health Care M.B.A..

Cornerstone and PGS have spent the last year or two

creating a program that meets that need for leaders.

Upton has helped design classes and recruit teachers for

the Health Care M.B.A. that begins in February 2011.

“This is a practitioner’s program. The health care

industry told us what they wanted and we have created

a program to answer that,” said Upton, who was raised in

Grand Rapids and has taught in the PGS program since

1998. She came on as Dean in 2008.

Dr. Sandra Upton helped create a program that meets a need for health care leaders.

FEATURE

“WE’VE BEEN WATCHING THE mEdICAL mILE IN dOWNTOWN GRANd RAPIdS,” SAId dR. SANdRA UPTON, dEAN OF BUSINESS PROGRAmS AT PGS. “WE CONdUCTEd FOCUS GROUPS WITH GRANd RAPIdS’ HEALTH CARE INdUSTRY EXPERTS ANd ASKEd ABOUT THEIR NEEdS NOW ANd IN THE FUTURE. they all said they need leaders.”


Upton outlines the core needs of

the industry and what the Health

Care M.B.A. addresses: business

acumen, cultural intelligence,

leadership skills, and global

perspective. Cornerstone adds

a Christian perspective to both

deepen and broaden its distinctive

program.

The program’s aim is two-fold:

First is to provide leadership

development for clinicians who

want to expand their skills (doctors,

nurses, lab technicians, etc.); second

is to provide a health care focus for

those already trained in business

leadership.

“We want to help health care

businesses position themselves with

a great pool of employees. We want

to train individuals just entering the

field, but also help grow employees

who are already there,” said Upton.

Chad Tuttle is executive director

of Sunset Retirement Community

and a long-time adjunct professor

in the PGS business program. He

helped develop the Health Care

M.B.A. on a contract basis.

“one of the distinctives of this

program is its emphasis on the

industry itself. Each course is

customized for the health care

industry, which helps equip students

specifically for it,” said Tuttle. “And

we’re always talking about program

content with health care officials to

make sure we’re staying tailored to

the industry.”

The Health Care M.B.A. is an

18-month, 39-credit program

that provides baseline business

administration skills with a

health care focus. The class on

organizational behavior and human

resources issues, for example,

addresses those topics from a

health care perspective. The class on

finance looks at the distinct issues

relevant to health care such as

third-party payments and hospital

operating budgets.

Upton lauds the program’s global

component. Each student must

participate in a 10-day overseas

trip to Central Europe, China or

South Africa. Students participate

in business meetings, visit hospitals,

and attend cultural events to help

them understand health care issues

affecting the larger world.

“I don’t know of any program in

the area that makes global travel a

requirement for its core curriculum,”

said Upton.

Brown is excited about gaining

global experience, eager to put her

classroom knowledge into real-life

action. Real-world experience is part

of what drew her to the program.

“Global is exactly where it’s

going,” said the 23-year-old. “I’ll get

to apply the things I learn, and not

just right outside my back door.”

As a leader in the health care

industry, Tuttle is thrilled with the

program. “There are lots of M.B.A.

programs out there, but Cornerstone

and PGS have spent much time

finding out what is specifically

needed in the workplace. I can point

people toward a program such as

this as the next step in their careers.

And I know a lot of people in the

industry who are thrilled as well.”

The program will follow the cohort

model, in which around 14 students

begin the program together, staying

together throughout. Classes are

offered one after the other for each

cohort, with new cohorts starting

as students sign on to the program.

Instructors are usually part of the

local health care community.

“our vision for the Health

Care M.B.A. very much mirrors

Cornerstone’s vision to ‘Build a Life

That Matters.’ We want to engage

students to reach into the world for

Christ,” said Upton. “The health care

industry is changing dramatically,

and it makes all kinds of sense to be

part of that change.

“We show Christ’s love by serving

in excellence. our students are just

as qualified as anyone else, but

also have a real desire to serve with

excellence,” said Upton.

She sees only growth for the

program in the next five years as the

health care industry expands and

changes. Upton sees potential for a

fully online program, sees continued

collaboration between Cornerstone

and the local health care field.

“We’re always looking to refine

classes as new business and ethical

issues must be faced and responded

to. We will always be improving,”

said Upton. “We expect a very

vibrant program.”

“ONE OF THE dISTINCTIVES OF THIS PROGRAm IS ITS EmPHASIS ON THE INdUSTRY

ITSELF. EACH COURSE IS CUSTOmIzEd FOR THE HEALTH CARE INdUSTRY, WHICH HELPS

EqUIP STUdENTS SPECIFICALLY FOR IT.”

FOR mORE INFORmATION ABOUT THE HEALTH CARE mBA PROGRAm AT CORNERSTONE UNIVERSITY, VISIT PGS.CORNERSTONE.EdU

BUSINESS SKILLS WITH HEALTH CARE FOCUS

Chad TuTTle



FEATURE

B Y A N N B Y L E


pastor daniel parker and his sister pastor doriane parker admit that seminary was out of their reach. Busy schedules, lack of funds, and accessiBle venues kept them away. that is, until grand rapids theological seminary reached into their lives with a deal neither could resist.


Rev. Royce Evans, director of the Urban Cohort Initiative, teaches one of the many cohorts.

“i proBaBly would never have Been aBle to go to seminary without the scholarship package grand rapids theological seminary offered,” SAId dANIEL PARKER, CO-PASTOR OF KINGdOm LIFE mINISTRIES IN GRANd RAPIdS.

His sister agrees. “I would not have been able to go

to seminary under any other circumstances,” Doriane

Parker (GRTS ‘07) said. “I’m a parent, a pastor and have a

traveling ministry that keeps me extremely busy.”

They are part of the Urban Cohort Initiative (UCI), a

program that brings seminary education to the urban

centers of West Michigan. GRTS provides the instructor

and financial aid, as well as a meeting place near where

pastors and lay leaders minister in the city’s core.

Grand Rapids Theological Seminary matched a donor

and a dream to reach this under-served section of

ministry leaders. An anonymous donor saw a need for

theological training for those working in an urban setting.

He noted a marginalization of urban leaders on the

increase and resources to help them decreasing. He saw a

lack of equitable access to education.

Grand Rapids Theological Seminary saw it too and

stepped in to help. The Urban Cohort Initiative, launched

in Fall 2008, is reaching urban church and parachurch

leaders with a seminary education brought right to their

doors.

What grew from that initial dream is a vital urban

initiative that reaches almost 90 students in four West

Michigan venues who are working toward their seminary

degrees. The students are divided into cohorts, or groups,

that meet in Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Lansing, and

kalamazoo.

Rev. Royce Evans (GRTS ‘08, PGS ‘05) is Director

FEATURE


of the Urban Ministry Initiative at

GRTS. He received his B.A. through

Cornerstone’s PGS program, then his

M.A. from GRTS. He worked with the

seminary for several years planning

the urban initiative, then was hired

full-time to oversee the program.

“We asked urban ministry leaders—

pastors, lay leaders, parachurch

ministry leaders such as those at

Youth For Christ and Salvation

Army—across denominational lines

about their challenges and how we

could help them,” said Evans.

Answers focused on the lack of

access to resources and the need

for training both theologically and

economically in stewardship. The

Urban Cohort Initiative was designed

with those needs in mind.

Around 20 students—sometimes

more, sometimes less—begin

working toward a seminary degree

at the same time. This cohort meets

weekly at a specified location,

all taking the same class. All are

working toward their seminary

degrees and are taught by GRTS

professors.

“our goals are to identify ministry

leaders, assist them in assessing

their ministry’s effectiveness, provide

theological education, academic

credibility and credential, to enhance

their ministry’s effectiveness,” said

Evans.

Another purpose is to engage

those in different denominations

and with different doctrines to find

common ground, to focus on where

they are in sync instead of where

they are different. once common

ground is found, partnerships can

occur to maximize limited resources

for more effective ministry.

“A person in need of help doesn’t

care if the person providing service

was baptized by sprinkling or by

immersion; that person just wants

the sandwich the churches are

handing out,” said Evans.

He describes urban ministry as

complex in part because of the

needs of the urban culture, but also

because of the huge differences

in those who do urban ministry,

including race, gender, education

level, ministry costs and theological

practices.

“We want to help those in the

urban cohorts to transition into

academia for their studies, but also

help academia better understand

urban ministry,” said Evans. “We

want to bring people into a safe

atmosphere to engage in theology

that is perhaps different than their

own.”

Pastor Doriane Parker and brother

Daniel, Senior Pastor at kingdom

Life, are working toward their Master

of Arts in Ministry Leadership via the

cohort that meets at Grand Rapids

Theological Seminary. They have

been enrolled in the cohort since it

was launched in Fall 2008.

“I thought it was a great

opportunity not only for the

community but for myself as a pastor

to expand my horizons and further

engage in the learning process,” said

Daniel Parker. “I’m very blessed to be

part of it.”

“The Urban Cohort Initiative is a

wonderful opportunity to receive

biblical training and a seminary

education,” said Doriane Parker. “Any

time you receive excellent biblical

training, you can take that training

and apply it to whatever world you’re

in. As a pastor, I take that biblical

instruction and use it in my sermons,

Bible studies, and other areas.”

Both Parkers see peer

collaboration as a benefit to the

cohort model. They have become

friends with their fellow students,

fellowshipping outside of class and

visiting each other’s churches.

“I love the relationships we are

building with fellow pastors and

leaders in the community,” said

Doriane Parker.

Daniel Parker agrees. “The cohort

is awesome by way of collaboration

with my peers in urban ministry.

I work side by side with them,

they experience the same things I

experience day to day, and we are

doing so with the same goal.”

The benefits to urban ministry

leaders are obvious, but the

seminary benefits as well.

Instructors are engaging in new

teaching experiences, and gaining a

heightened sense of responsibility

in their teaching because, as Evans

says, “what you write on the white

board may become next week’s

sermon.” Instructors, too, learn from

cohort students who often have

years of ministry experience and

know what works and what doesn’t,

as well as how theological concepts

translate into real-world experiences.

“The Urban Cohort Initiative is

introducing GRTS to a ministry

context that we haven’t engaged

before,” said Evans. “The school will

never be the same, and that’s a

good thing.”

FOR mORE INFORmATION ABOUT THE URBAN COHORT INITIATIVE, VISIT GRTS.CORNERSTONE.EdU.

“I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY NOT ONLY FOR THE COmmUNITY BUT FOR

mYSELF AS A PASTOR TO EXPANd mY HORIzONS ANd FURTHER ENGAGE IN THE

LEARNING PROCESS.”daNIel PaRKeR


ExCELLENCE ON STAGE

The Cornerstone University theatre program, directed by

Jennifer Hunter, recently received eight nominations for

Grand Awards.

The Grand Awards is an annual event held to celebrate

local actors and actresses in community and college

theatre groups in Grand Rapids, much like the Tony

Awards for Broadway shows.

Each year, Cornerstone’s theatre students receive

between two to 10 nominations as they compete against

area schools like Aquinas, Calvin and Grand Rapids

Community College.

Leah Hoffman (CU ‘12) received a trophy for

outstanding Actress in a College Production for her role

as Anne in last fall’s production of Anne of Green Gables.

Rebekah Hughes (CU ‘09) won outstanding

Supporting Actress in a College Production for Mrs.

Lynde in Anne of Green Gables.

“It’s funny, I also performed a scene at the Grand

Awards from Midsummer and when I won I was actually

in costume,” said Hughes who was also nominated for

her role as Helena in A Midsummer night’s Dream. “I was

very excited, very humbled and my speech was terrible!

I’m so awkward in front of people when I’m not acting.”

Anne of Green Gables was also nominated for

outstanding College Production. kyle Juresich (CU ‘11)

ON STAGE AT CORNERSTONE UNIVERSITY ARE HUmBLE, HARdWORKING STUdENTS dESERVEdLY RECOGNIzEd FOR THEIR OUTSTANdING PERFORmANCES.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a College Production, Leah Hoffman

Outstanding Lead Actor Nominee, Ian Grell, in a CU stage production of Anne of Green Gables.


was nominated for outstanding

Supporting Actor in the play, Ian

Grell (CU ‘13) for outstanding

Lead Actor and Alyssa karnes

(CU ‘10) for outstanding Lead

Actress.

Hughes and Juresich were also

nominated for outstanding Lead

Actress and Actor for a college

production in a Midsummer

night’s Dream.

With eight nominations to

add to the six they earned last

year, Visser said it shows that

Cornerstone theatre students

mean business.

“I think it says that we work

hard and try to do our best,” she

said, “hopefully always keeping

[our] eyes on Christ and doing it

for his glory, not our own... which

always produces the best results.”

The theatre students are not

just in it to win awards. Hunter

said that they acknowledge God

as their judge.

“We are really there to shine a

light,” said Hunter.

Building Lives That Matter

through theatre, happens during

weekly Bible studies together and

during the semester as they hold

two kappa Theta Gamma (kTG,

a theatre organization) Talks

where they visit other college

productions and then talk about

the spiritual implications of each.

“We are always praying

between scenes,” said Hoffman of

the atmosphere behind stage at

Cornerstone productions.

“Everyone is very humble and

excited to lift others up.”

b y s t a s h a g i e s e ( c U ‘ 1 3 ) a n d k e l l i c o t t r e l l

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a College Production, Rebekah Hughes, and Outstanding Lead Actress Nominee, Alyssa Karnes, appearing in a scene of Anne of Green Gables.

FOR A SCHEdULE OF UPCOmING PROdUCTIONS BY CU THEATRE, SCAN THE qR COdE TO THE RIGHT USING A BARCOdE SCANNING APP ON YOUR SmARTPHONE OR VISIT WWW.CORNERSTONE.EdU.


Misty May-Treanor, who holds two olympic gold medals

in beach volleyball, told the crowd that playing as a team

and treating others well is required on and off the court.

“Character matters,” she said. “I wish I had someone

to teach me this when I was young.”

That is the goal of the Champions of Character

program at Cornerstone University.

In 2004, “Champions of Character,” a program within

the national Association of Intercollegiate Athletics

(nAIA), hired Mike Riemersma as the program director

for Cornerstone University Athletics.

“It’s come from nothing to pretty well known in most

circles of character development,” said Riemersma who

organized the kickoff event with Misty May-Treanor last

August.

“We are now able to go to all high schools in the

ottawa-kent Conference (o-k Conference) and make an

impact on young athletes.”

Riemersma works year-round speaking to area schools

and community teams about the five core values of

the program that Cornerstone has implemented in its

athletics.

The five core values are: integrity, respect,

responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership.

Cornerstone has formed partnerships with the o-k

Conference that includes 50 local high schools, both of

the Grand Rapids’ professional sports franchises (the

Grand Rapids Griffins and West Michigan Whitecaps)

and the West Michigan Sports Commission.

“Through these partnerships it is our desire to be

a resource for all coaches, athletes, parents, youth

programs, booster clubs and administrators not only

in the Grand Rapids area but the entire Midwest,” said

Riemersma.

Through the years, Riemersma has “beat the drum”

many times to inculcate the message of the five core

values into the minds of student athletes, parents and

coaches.

COMbINING CHARACTER AND CHAMPIONS

A COUPLE THOUSANd AREA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES WERE RIVETEd TO THE WORdS OF A TWO-TImE OLYmPIC GOLd mEdAL WINNER ON THE VALUE OF CHARACTER IN SPORTS.

Misty May-Treanor, a two-time gold medal winner, signs autographs at the 2010 Champions of Character Kick-Off event.


“Anytime you talk about changing

culture, it takes years of diligence in

sending the message,” he said, but

this message has changed how CU

coaches recruit and how athletes

view their sport and each other.

Riemersma said that when

coaches are looking to recruit

new athletes, they look for more

than just fast movement on the

basketball court or quick footwork

on the soccer field.

“There’s more to it than just being

athletic, it’s the type of person that

they are,” he said.

He encourages coaches to watch

a recruit at practice to ascertain

their true character.

“Does this person represent

who we are as an institution and

what we want our program to be?”

Riemersma said the coaches need

to ask themselves.

The Champions of Character

program has “fundamentally

changed how we recruit athletes,”

Riemersma said.

Unfortunately, today’s popular

culture of professional sports

doesn’t always highlight athletes

who exhibit the five core values.

With athletes being arrested for

illegal activity or getting suspended

from a game due to poor

sportsmanship but still making big

money, how does someone teach a

young athlete the right way to act?

“It’s a constant battle to fight

against that culture, and it’s difficult

because that’s what we see every

day,” Riemersma said.

When he talks to athletes, he tells

them that it comes down to “when

you go to sleep at night, is your

conscience clear?

In addition to good advice,

Riemersma has also brought

respected professional athletes to

CU’s campus who exhibit the five

core values, including May-Treanor.

“It’s important to have someone

the athletes respect and all know

just reinforce the fact that character

matters,” he said.

Riemersma said May-Treanor

mentioned that she never had

a program like Champions of

Character when she was young.

“She wished that when she was

growing up, there was a program

like Champions of Character, and

someone she respected had come

in and talked to her about those

things,” he said.

now that the program is

established at CU, Riemersma said

the next step is embedding it into

the community.

“[The] nucleus starts here

on campus and now we are

broadening out into West Michigan

and the state of Michigan,” he said.

Riemersma regularly travels to

o-k Conference high schools to do

character training.

“We have to get kids at an early

age and talk about these character

issues,” he said.

FOR mORE INFORmATION ABOUT CHAmPIONS OF CHARACTER AT CU, SCAN THE COdE TO THE RIGHT WITH A BARCOdE SCANNING APP ON YOUR SmARTPHONE OR VISIT CUGOLdENEAGLES.COm

b y a m e n a a n d e r s o n

Thousands of students fill the Hansen Athletic Center for the Champions of Character kick-off event.


“Studies show that there is no

difference in the way Christians

handle their money versus non-

Christians,” said Eric Hoogstra, an

associate professor of business at

Cornerstone University. His goal is

to inform people about appropriate

ways to manage their money from

a biblical perspective, which is why

he wrote this book, he said.

“The 7-Day Financial Makeover

is a book that tells you about your

finances, tells you where you are

at, and gives you a few directions

about what to do and how to

invest,” Hoogstra said.

Hoogstra’s book helps people

understand the financial market

and invest for the future, he said. It

is not a “get out of debt” book, but

helps readers plan their financial

future. It includes worksheets and

daily tasks to work toward this

goal.

Hoogstra said other financial

books miss the point of what

people should do after they get

out of debt. His book stresses what

to do after getting out of debt,

how to go farther with finances

and plan for what is important in

one’s future.

In addition to his teaching

responsibilities, he helps families

and individuals with crisis

budget counseling and works

with Crown Financial Ministries

and is a corporate facilitator for

Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace

University where he speaks and

teaches seminars on finance

nationally. He also plans to develop

a seminar for churches based off of

his book, he said.

His passion for helping families

succeed in managing money is

evident.

“My friend Eric has compiled

some great advice that is both

wise and practical. Money matters!

Which is why this book matters!,”

said Dr. Joe Stowell, president of

Cornerstone University.

The book can be purchased at

kregel Bookstores, on Amazon.

com or in the Cornerstone

University Bookstore.

“It’s a great book for people of

all ages - newlyweds, engaged

couples, long-married couples,

families or for groups at

churches.

bUSINESS PROFESSOR HELPS READERS UNDERSTAND F INANCIAL MARkET AND INVEST IN FUTURE b y a l y s s a h e l m ( c U ‘ 1 3 )

dAY ONE Assess and verify income and

expenses; complete a projected

monthly statement; list assets,

prepare list of current debts

and prepare a personal

financial statement.

dAY TWO Understand the role as

stewards and God’s ownership

in our lives. Seek God’s

direction for your finances.

dAY THREEHow to create an effective and

maintain an effective budget.

dAY FOURHow to eliminate “budget busters.”

dAY FIVEHow to set both short-term

and long-term personal and

financial goals for the future.

dAY SIXFocus on investing to meet goals.

dAY SEVENPlan for the future, which

includes training your children

about finances.

hoogstra’s 7-day financial

makeover

“...ERIC HAS COmPILEd SOmE GREAT AdVICE THAT IS BOTH WISE ANd PRACTICAL. mONEY mATTERS! WHICH IS WHY THIS BOOK mATTERS!”

dR. JOe STOWell

Earn your HEaltH CarE MBaWith the rapid changes taking place right now in the West Michigan health care industry, don’t miss the opportunity to gain the knowledge that will help you become a leader in this field. Cornerstone University’s Professional & Graduate Studies (PGS) division is now offering a Health Care MBA.

Health Care MBABegins Feb. 2011Call 800.947.2382 to sign up. Classes are forming now!

PGS programs are designed for the convenience of working adults.

• One course at a time• Competitive tuition rates• Accelerated completion2pgs.cornerstone.edu/degrees


For the third year Cornerstone

is presenting partner of the

three-day Christian music

extravaganza, Big Ticket Festival,

held in Ionia, Mich.

“The event provides

Cornerstone with awareness

and exposure throughout

the state in the days leading

up to the festival,” said Bob

Sack, Cornerstone’s executive

director of marketing and

communications who was

instrumental in organizing the

partnership. “Plus, it serves as a

wonderful ministry.”

This year’s event, scheduled

for June 23-25, will feature over

100 bands, including headliners

Toby Mac, Skillet and newsboys.

There will be numerous activities

for the entire family including

extreme sports, a kidszone,

Veggie Tale characters and

Bibleman as well as speakers,

entertainers and food.

Evangelist nick Vujicic, 27,

born without arms or legs, will

share his testimony how God is

using him when others may have

deemed him useless.

Cornerstone hosts a tent area

for prospective students and

alumni with free games and

hospitality.

During Winter Homecoming at

Cornerstone Feb. 10-11, a Battle

of the Bands will be held to vie

for a spot to perform at the

festival.

Cornerstone’s radio stations

(WCSG-FM 91.3 and WAYG-FM

89.9) will also be connected with

the music festival and have a

presence at the Ionia event.

Campsites and hotel rooms are

available.

For tickets or more information

about the artists, visit

www.bigticketfestival.com.

CHRIST-CENTEREd mUSIC FOR THE WHOLE FAmILY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF THE CORNERSTONE UNIVERSITY VISION WITH ITS RAdIO STATIONS WCSG ANd WAYFm, But the vision continues to expand.

CU PARTNERS wITH LARGEST CHRIST IAN MUSIC FEST IVAL IN MICHIGAN

b y k e l l i c o t t r e l l


F ILMS THAT MATTER

“I really look forward to time in the classroom,” said

Zandstra, who has taught PGS classes since 1993. “Most

of my students don’t know who I am.”

But they may find out in February as his film “The

Genesis Code” is launched in theatres nationwide.

The feature-length drama from American Saga

Productions, where Zandstra serves as vice president,

was shot in Lowell and Grand Rapids at a cost of $8

million.

The film is an original screenplay about a college

hockey player and his relationship with a female reporter

at the school newspaper. The underlying story involves

their struggle to convene their spiritual faith with their

scientific studies. Scenes were shot at the Calvin College

campus, and hockey-game sequences were filmed at

Patterson Ice Arena.

Zandstra, a part-time Christian Reformed pastor, was

cast as a preacher in “The Genesis Code”

TEACHING GLOBAL BUSINESS CLASSES AT CORNERSTONE’S PROFESSIONAL ANd GRAdUATE STUdIES (PGS) ALLOWS jERRY zANdSTRA TO dIVE INTO A SUBjECT ANd ESCAPE THE LImELIGHT OF BEING AN ACTOR ANd FILm PROdUCER.

Courtesy Photo


The film previously premiered in Grand Rapids

theatres to select audiences before the decision

could be made to release it nationwide, Zandstra

said.

Zandstra is the Executive in Charge of

Production for American Epic Entertainment,

LLC and serves as vice-president of American

Saga Productions, American Epic’s television

production division. The Genesis Code follows

several American Saga cinematic projects.

Although he has never taken any acting classes,

he was cast as a preacher and father of one of

the main characters in the film.

In the film he works alongside veteran actor and

Academy Award winning actors, Ernest Borgnine

and Louise Fletcher as well as Fred Thompson.

As he begins traveling nationwide to promote

the film, Zandstra is already working on a few

more projects.

“A film process takes a long time,” said

Zandstra, who said it has been a two-year process

from when he began working on the “code.”

“now that we’re in the final stage of “The

Genesis Code” - this is fun,” he said.

Hundreds of scripts come across his desk but,

he has a specific genre he is hoping to capture in

his productions.

“A good film will make you laugh, cry, think and

maybe inspire you to do something,” he said. “It

has to be entertainment or it’s a documentary.”

And, it has to be family friendly.

“I want to make family films that kids can be

proud of,” he said. “There has to be a Christian

theme.”

For more information about the film, visit

www.thegenesiscodemovie.com.

b y k e l l i c o t t r e l l

Jerry Zandrstra plays a preacher in The genesis code. In real life he serves as a pastor and instructor in Cornerstone’s PGS program.

Courtesy Photo


After losing his mother in the earthquake,

one young Haitian man, sang “Hallelujah, I have

Jesus.”

Greg Yoder, anchor for Mission network news

(Mnn), a Cornerstone radio station, heard those

stories and more about how God miraculously

saved people and how they now want to serve

him.

“They’re ready for the future. Christians are

excited about what God has planned,” said

Yoder, who spent a week in Haiti traveling

with Compassion International for the first

anniversary since the devastating natural

disaster destroyed the country.

During his trip, Yoder conducted radio reports

to the 1,000-plus network stations of Mnn and

helped Compassion with its “Remember Haiti

with Compassion” radio special.

“It was mainly to focus on the continued needs

there, but also talk about the good news – which

RECONSTRUCT ING HAIT I ONE L IFE AT A T IME b y k e l l i c o t t r e l l

Just over one year ago, A YOUNG HAITIAN GIRL WAS TRAPPEd INSIdE HER HOmE LAYING UNdERNEATH HER dEAd SISTER AFTER THE EARTHqUAKE. today SHE HAS dEdICATEd HER LIFE TO BEING A CHRISTIAN TEACHER. ALTHOUGH SHE WAS SERIOUSLY INjUREd “GOd SPAREd HER TO mAKE A dIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS,” SHE SAYS. SHE WANTS TO HELP LEAd YOUNG PEOPLE TO CHRIST.


most of the secular media is ignoring,” said Yoder, who

reported from Haiti three weeks after the earthquake

hit. “I also did a number of live interviews with radio

stations while in the country.”

Compassion International performed a “Laying of

the First Stone” ceremony to begin the rebuilding

process of 44 schools that were destroyed in the

earthquake.

Yoder traveled with Dan Woolley, a Compassion

International staffer who was trapped in Hotel

Montana for 65 hours. The five story hotel entombed

about 60 people after the building pancaked during

the earthquake.

“What surprised me the most was the amount of

hope in people’s eyes,” said Yoder. “It was a totally

different feel than it was a year ago. Also, most of the

debris was out of the streets. Based on reports we had

received, not much had been done. But, that’s just not

the case.”

Before the earthquake, Haiti had no building codes

and the residents had to wait for those to be in place

before rebuilding could happen, Yoder said.

“We will now begin to see a lot of changes. Haiti

didn’t have any building codes but those are now in

place. I believe we’ll start seeing reconstruction.”

And the spiritual climate has changed as well, Yoder

said.

“The churches are bursting at the seams,” he said.

“Most pastors in Port au Prince said they have 30

percent more people in the churches – which is

amazing because many of the pastors are meeting in

tents, private homes and open air areas.”

But, there is still much that needs to be done. Homes

need to be rebuilt. People are out of work. Businesses

need to be rebuilt. Schools need to be rebuilt.

There are many ways to contribute to the rebuilding

of Haiti. Visit the Mnn website at www.mnnonline.org and search ‘Haiti’ to find opportunities to help and to

hear ministry updates.


SIFE, an international non-profit

organization, gives students

opportunities to be leaders and

entrepreneurs in the community

giving them hands on experience.

Last year, Cornerstone’s SIFE

chapter, headed by Janelle Brown

(CU ’12), president of the business

organization, tackled four projects

that included raising awareness

of human trafficking, preventing

run-off water from entering the

campus pond, teaching financial

seminars at inner-city high schools

and teaching social networking to

non-profit organizations.

This year, SIFE has increased

its work in the community with

seven projects. Members will work

on projects with Women At Risk

(WAR), helping the environment,

networking, finances, state parks,

social media and sustainability.

SIFE members join a team each

semester that focuses on different

areas based on their interests.

one group is teaching students

how to make resumes, teaching

interview techniques. A team is

working with Women At Risk

(WAR) for the second year

promoting products sold to stop

human trafficking. Another group

is painting storm drain warnings on

drains leading to the Grand River.

one team has partnered with the

Michigan Department of natural

Resources (DnR) to help support

state parks by selling “recreational

passports.”

A social media team is teaching

Cornerstone interns how to use

social media, such as Facebook and

Twitter, and sending them to non-

profit organizations in the Grand

Rapids area to help their business

or ministry use social media.

“It’s a good opportunity to

use my business skills, better the

community and help people,” said

Alyssa Vandermate (CU ‘11), a SIFE

member who is leading the team

working with the DnR.

The Cornerstone chapter earned

Regional Rookie of the Year and

national Rookie of the Year awards

at the national SIFE competition

where students gave presentations

about the chapter projects. Brown

plans to have the chapter compete

again in June in Chicago.

“SIFE is a great way for all

students to do a hands-on project,

it’s a great resume builder and

students can choose what they

want to work on,” said Brown, who

is also captain of the Women’s

Cross Country Team.

And the team has built numerous

connections through the SIFE

projects.

“Last year after we won our

competition we were surprised

that heads of several companies

approached us with job

opportunities,” said Brown. “It was

nice to know they were impressed

with our presentations which gives

us more confidence.”

Cornerstone is one of 600

American universities with a SIFE

chapter, and participate with

nearly 1,000 universities around

the world.

bUSINESS EDUCAT ION IN ACT ION

LAST YEAR A CORNERSTONE UNIVERSITY CHAPTER OF students in free enterprise (sife) WAS BIRTHEd.

“LAST YEAR AFTER WE WON OUR COmPETITION WE WERE SURPRISEd THAT HEAdS OF SEVERAL

COmPANIES APPROACHEd US WITH jOB OPPORTUNITIES...IT WAS NICE TO KNOW THEY WERE ImPRESSEd WITH OUR PRESENTATIONS

WHICH GIVES US mORE CONFIdENCE.”

JaNelle bROWN

FOR mORE INFORmATION ABOUT PARTNERING OR SPONSORING SIFE, CALL THE CORNERSTONE UNIVERSITY BUSINESS dIVISION AT 616.949.5300 OR SCAN THE qR COdE TO THE RIGHT WITH A BARCOdE SCANNING APP ON YOUR SmARTPHONE.

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2011 | A PUbL ICAT ION OF CORNERSTONE UNIVERSIT Y | www.CORNERSTONE .EDU

Cornerstone Magazine 2011

Documents

Transcript of Cornerstone Magazine 2011