Homecoming 2016 – Alumni Blog

October 3, 2016October 4, 2016

Alumni Awards Homecoming 2016: Janice Cotrone

By: Emily Lehner

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Janice Cotrone has devoted her adult life to improving healthcare in the country of Haiti. She served as Director of Nursing, Pediatric Programs, Surgery, and held the position of Station Manager. Upon living full-time in Haiti for 26 years, Cotrone and her family moved back to the United States and settled in Naples, Florida for 6 years, pastoring there. Her husband then retired, and the family moved to Missouri. “However, in 2012, The Lord spoke to me very clearly at the General Conference of the Wesleyan Church and He wanted me to return to Haiti and open a four year RN/BSN School of Nursing,” Cotrone said.

Cotrone returned to IWU to receive a degree in Nursing Education, and when she finished with that, she jumped right into the Doctorate Program. The four year RN/BSN launched the first class of freshman in 2014 and things have been going smoothly. The program is only one of two in the entire country of Haiti. There are over 600 schools of nursing in Haiti, only 50 being accredited and Cotrone’s school is one of those 50. A few years ago, the school was given a distinguished honor by USAID and the department of public health in Haiti. “I am very thankful we received that award. We are seeing the outcome. We are already seeing things happen, and I just thank the Lord for helping me shoulder this kind of load and program,” Cotrone responded.

Cotrone currently travels to Haiti often to maintain upkeep of the school and teach. However, she is not able to live there full-time because she has assumed care of her mother here in the United States. Her son recently began school at IWU. Cotrone believes that in the future, the school will have many other degree options for students.

Cotrone’s time at IWU throughout the years has prepared her for multiple disciplines. She also believes that her background in life helped her wear the many hats she has to do daily. “IWU gave me the foundation I needed to handle what my life would look like down the road,” Cotrone stated. She is strategically placed to change the face of healthcare for the entire nation of Haiti. To Cotrone, it is much more than just training nurses, though. She said, “I want to train these young people for life, and I put heavy emphasis on this. We have bible classes taught every trimester.” The ratio of nurses to citizens in Haiti is 1 RN for over 9,000 people. Cotrone believes her greatest joy is preparing her students to not only save lives physically, but through salvation in Jesus Christ as well.

“I am blown away. I am not really an extraordinary person, I just work for an extraordinary God. It is such an honor. I just feel like I am doing what I am supposed to be doing in the world. When you are doing what you are supposed to do, should you be awarded for that? I don’t know. I am very honored and humbled to receive this award. I appreciate IWU. They’ve been very supportive of me,” responded Cotrone when asked how she felt about receiving the award.

This award is granted to an alumnus or alumna of the School of Nursing who has exhibited excellence in serving his or her profession, community, church, or alma mater in the spirit of Jesus Christ, and will be awarded during the Homecoming Weekend of October 7th.

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Written by Emily Lehner, a writer for the Alumni Center and a sophomore Writing major at IWU. She is active on the cross country and track teams. She is passionate about using her writing skills to share the good news of Christ with others and writes often on her personal blog at www.emilylehner.wordpress.com.

October 3, 2016October 3, 2016

Alumni Awards Homecoming 2016: Cynthia Booth

By: Dezaray Barr

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Annually, Indiana Wesleyan University awards the Distinguished DeVoe School of Business Alumni Award to a deserving alum. This year, that award goes to Cynthia Booth. Booth currently serves as the President and CEO of Owner of COBCO Enterprises, LLC. She is currently a member of Greater New Hope Missionary Baptist Church and she continues to support her son, Paul Jr., at Legacy Pointe Church.

Booth is very active in the community and serves in the following ways: Board of Advisors of DeVoe School of Business at Indiana Wesleyan University, Chair of McDonald’s REAL Team as part of the National Leadership Council, Board of Advisors at the Goering Center, Board of Directors at First Financial Bank, Board of Trustees at Denison University, Treasurer on Board of Directors for Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, Deaconess Ministry at Greater New Hope Missionary Baptist Church and Vice Chair for Trustee Ministry at Greater New Hope Missionary Baptist Church.

Booth has received many awards, dating back to 1999. Since receiving her first award in 1999 she has received over 35 awards, the most recent being the Lead Magazine’s Emerging Business Award and the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa’s Extraordinary Entrepreneurship Award.

While at IWU, Booth’s favorite professor was Shelley Webb. Her education and experience at IWU were exceptional, but it changed and grew her. “It not only challenged me academically, but it also challenged me to think globally and to be a world changer. More importantly, it allowed me to learn in an environment that supported my Christian values and beliefs,” she said.

This award is granted to an alumnus or alumna of the DeVoe School of Business who has exhibited excellence in serving his or her profession, community, church, or alma mater in the spirit of Jesus Christ, and will be awarded during the Homecoming Weekend of October 7th.

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Written by Dezaray Barr, Writer for the Alumni Office. Dezaray is a Sophomore Strategic Communication and Honors Humanities double major at Indiana Wesleyan University in the John Wesley Honors College. At IWU Dezaray is involved in PRSSA leadership and runs both the JWHC Blog and her own blog. Visit Dez’s website at www.dezaraybarr.weebly.com.

September 30, 2016

Alumni Awards Homecoming 2016: Tom Cully

By: Dezaray Barr

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Annually, Indiana Wesleyan University presents the Distinguished Young Alumni Award, and this year the recipient is Tom Cully. Cully currently works at Holsum Dairies as a Herd Veterinarian. He is a member of Faith Alliance Church where he serves as a nursery volunteer, greeter leader, assimilation committee member, Discovery Land volunteer and Sunday School teacher.

During Vet School, Cully served as president of the Cornell Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association (SCAVMA), secretary of the Christian Veterinary Fellowship and captain of the Bovine Palpation Team.

He has received the following awards: American Association of Bovine Practitioners Amstutz Award, American Veterinary Medical Foundation and Zoetis Scholarship Award, the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association Distinguished Member Award, Zoetis Clinical Proficiency Award in Dairy Production Medicine, Leadership Recognition Award and the New York State Veterinary Medical Society Senior Seminar Award.

Cully’s favorite professor was Dr. Matthew Kreitzer, and his favorite thing about IWU was the Christ-centeredness, as well as the competitive programs that allowed him to succeed. “The most valuable aspect of my IWU education was a Christ-centered perspective in professional and personal matters. The second most valuable aspect was highly competitive pre-professional program preparation that helped me to excel from the onset of my veterinary education,” Cully said.

This award is granted to an alumnus or alumna of Indiana Wesleyan University who has graduated in the past ten years and exhibited excellence in serving his or her profession, community, church, or alma mater in the spirit of Jesus Christ, and will be awarded during the Homecoming Weekend of October 7th.

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September 29, 2016

Alumni Awards Homecoming 2016: Lydia Pfenniger

By: Dezaray Barr

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Lydia and her family Photo obtained from http://www.fredandlydia.com/pictures/ — Lydia and her family
Photo obtained from http://www.fredandlydia.com/pictures/

Annually, Indiana Wesleyan University presents the Distinguished College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Award. This year, the recipient of this award is Lydia Pfenniger. Pfenniger currently works as an OB Fellowship Trained Family Physician at the Association of Baptist for World Evangelism. She is married to Fred Pfenniger and has two children, Noah and Nathanael.

Pfenniger is currently a member of Temple Baptist Church in Tacoma, Washington. She enjoys traveling and has taken multiple medical mission trips to Honduras, Bolivia, Zambia and most recently traveled to Togo. From January 2013 to July 2015, Pfenniger and her husband traveled to Togo, West Africa with the Samaritan’s Purse Post Residency Program to practice full scope medicine. The hospital the couple served in is a full service mission hospital that serves primary adult care, pediatrics, obstetrics and surgical needs. They are just now starting a second 30-month term at the same hospital.

Pfenniger’s education at IWU taught her many important things, but most importantly, it taught her how to see the bigger picture. “IWU challenged me to keep my focus on God and not just what is before me, to see a bigger picture through God’s eyes and not just the picture in front of me, to keep my focus on the end goal and not just the challenge directly ahead,” she said. Coach John Foss, Dr. Jim Lo, Dr. Hess, Dr. Webb and Dr. Lakanen were some of her favorite professors and mentors who influenced her greatly while at the university.

Learn more about Lydia and Fred’s journey on their website: http://www.fredandlydia.com/.

This award is granted to an alumnus or alumna of the College of Arts & Sciences who has exhibited excellence in serving his or her profession, community, church, or alma mater in the spirit of Jesus Christ, and will be awarded during the Homecoming Weekend of October 7th.

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September 28, 2016September 28, 2016

Alumni Awards Homecoming 2016: Reba Lynn Harris

Reba Harris, photo obtained from http://www.gileadhousekokomo.org/about-us/

By: Dezaray Barr

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Annually, Indiana Wesleyan University presents the Distinguished College of Adult and Professional Studies Alumni Award. This year, the recipient of the award is Reba Lynn Harris, a 1997 graduate.

Harris founded the Gilead House in September of 2000 and is now the executive director. The Gilead House offers education, training, programs and services for broken and hopeless men, women and children.

Harris belongs to Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church in Kokomo, Indiana where she serves as the president of the F.D. Reece Christian Academy, as well as an adult Sunday school teacher. She is a member of the Howard County Drug Court, Howard County Mayor’s Task Force and is a board member on the Kokomo Veteran’s Home. Finally, Harris has been honored with the Indiana Black Expo Award for community enrichment.

Harris’s education at Indiana Wesleyan University is what inspired her to open the Gilead House, as well as give her resources to help the Howard community. “It has given me the confidence to strive for the vision that God has given me,” Harris said about her education at IWU.

This award is granted to an alumnus or alumna of the College of Adults and Professional Studies who has exhibited excellence in serving his or her profession, community, church, or alma mater in the spirit of Jesus Christ, and will be awarded during the Homecoming Weekend of October 7th.

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September 26, 2016September 27, 2016

Alumni Awards Homecoming 2016: John and Patty Bray

By: Dezaray Barr

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Annually, Indiana Wesleyan University presents the Distinguished Wesley Seminary Alumni Award to a deserving candidate. Two of the finalists this year include John and Patty Bray. John and Patty currently work at the university, where John serves as Dean of the Chapel and Patty teaches Old Testament Survey and mentors young women in the community.

Even as the couple continues to serve in the IWU community, their educations from IWU still have a large impact on their lives. John said, “In formative periods of my life, IWU equipped me for life’s practical ministry opportunities. It shaped my thinking.” His favorite professor while studying at IWU was Wilbur
Williams, and at Wesley Seminary was Chris Bounds.

Patty says earning her master’s degree at IWU taught her how to be a, “life-long learner.” Her favorite professors while receiving her master’s degree included Wayne Schmidt, JoAnn Lyon and Steve Lennox.

Before returning to IWU to serve as Dean of the Chapel, John and Patty pastored for 41 years at Heritage Wesleyan Church in Rock Island, Illinois. After serving at Heritage, they lead as interim pastors at First Wesleyan Church in Battle Creek, Michigan, and then Patty served as the interim senior pastor at Fall Creek Wesleyan Church (now, Trinity East Fishers) in Fishers, Indiana.

This award is granted to an alumnus or alumna of the Seminary who has exhibited excellence in serving his or her profession, community, church, or alma mater in the spirit of Jesus Christ, and will be awarded during the Homecoming Weekend of October 7th.

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