Summer 2010 - Northwestern College

AROUND THE GREENLOOKING BACKA New SongA new music group added toworship services at Northwesternduring the spring semester, thanksto sophomore music educationmajor Darian Parker.A transfer student, Parkermissed being involved in the gospelchoir at his previous institution.He suggested that Northwesterninvite a choir to campus for BlackHistory Month in February, butstaff members convinced him tostart a campus group instead.Over 40 students attended thefirst rehearsal of Northwestern’sGospel Choir, exceeding Parker’sexpectations. The ensemble sangmusic in the style of Kirk Franklinand Israel Houghton at two chapelservices, as well as at the EthnicFair. Next year the group is to bedirected by a member of SiouxCity’s Mt. Zion Missionary BaptistChurch Consecrated Mass Choir.Northwestern’s Gospel Choir debuted with chapel performances this spring.doug burgBuilding Determinationb y Am y Sc h e e rConstruction of Christ Chapel began in 1986, despite a Midwest farm crisis,thanks in large part to the leadership of board member Marv DeWitt. He wasawarded an honorary doctorate during the building’s dedication two years later.New DirectorsNorthwestern is welcoming three new staff members this summer.Eric Anderson is the new director of financial aid. FormerlyNorthwestern’s associate dean of residence life and resident director ofWest Hall, he has been a financial planning assistant in Orange Citythe last two years. He earned an M.B.A. at Ball State University.Jackie Davis joins the Northwestern staff as director of capitalgiving after 17 years of experience in higher education advancement.She comes from her alma mater, Dakota Wesleyan University, whereshe worked with the annual fund, major and campaign gifts, alumnirelations, planned giving and administration.Tim Schlak, a recent Ph.D. graduate in library and informationscience at the University of Pittsburgh, is the new director of RamakerLibrary. In addition to his doctorate, Schlak earned a master’s degreein library and information science and a master’s in Slavic languagesand literatures, both from Pittsburgh.Eric AndersonJackie DavisTim SchlakLand values plummeted.The fiscal year ended in thered. Northwestern’s presidentdeclared it “a time when economicconditions in our immediatevicinity have seldom been worse.”The year? 1985. That August,Jim Bultman stepped into thepresidency of NorthwesternCollege and faced both a budgetshortfall and a large-scale farmcrisis in the Midwest.He also received an invitation tolunch from Marv DeWitt, a boardmember with a mission: Build anew chapel.DeWitt and his brother, Bill,had bought a few turkeys back in1938. They raised them on theirparents’ farm north of Zeeland,Mich., and sold eggs the followingspring. The turkeys multiplied,waddling through wartime evenas other hatcheries failed, and thebrothers moved into year-roundproduction by 1958. Namingthemselves BilMar Foods, theDeWitts turned a few turkeys intoa multi-million-dollar business,eventually merging with the SaraLee Corporation in 1987.Farm crisis? College budgetconcerns? DeWitt could see a lightat the end of the tunnel—or, rather,sunlight streaming through the tall,elegant windows of a new chapeland adjacent music hall. A fundfor the building had begun some25 years prior, and DeWitt wasdetermined to see its constructionthrough to completion.“It was a tough time for thecollege,” says DeWitt. “Somethought we shouldn’t go aheadwith the chapel. I pushed hard forit. I said it was the best time tobuild.”After pledging to give $50,000a year toward the project, DeWittpresented the board with a checkin the amount of $180,000. Inresponse, four other members ofthe board stepped forward andpromised to bump up their ownpledges as well.In March 1986, the executivecommittee unanimously approvedthe project. Ground was brokentwo months later. The building wasdedicated on April 10, 1988, andDeWitt was awarded an honorarydoctorate.“It is his positive spirit, hiscontagious enthusiasm, his ‘youcan do it’ attitude that has mostendeared him to those closest toNorthwestern and to me,” Bultmansaid at the dedication ceremony.“This came at a time when weneeded it most.”14 summer 2010Northwestern Classic 15