The special ceremonies were part of OC’s annual Homecoming weekend. The honorees were:

College of Arts and Sciences

Scott Filleman (05) - Music
Amanda Gauthier (11) - Nursing
Jennifer Hill (94) - Psychology and Family Studies
Russell Hill (93) - History and Political Science
Lisa Landrum (89) - Biological Sciences
Dana McMichael (83) - Language and Literature
Brian Simmons (87) - Communication
Roy Stevens (79) - Chemistry and Physics
Megan Wilkes (09) - Art and Design

College of Biblical Studies

Chris Stinnett (87) - Alumnus of the Year
Jeremie Beller (00) - Preaching/Ministry
David Duncan (88) - Missions
Josh Yaeger (04) - Youth Ministry 

College of Professional Studies

Jeff Dimick (83) - Mathematical, Computer, and Information Science
Jeremy Edwards (97) - Business Administration
Ben Knowles (00) - Mechanical Engineering
Tessa Tefertiller (95) - Teacher Education
Mitch Warren (05) - Electrical and Computer Engineering

OC was one of just six universities with two teams in the top 25 at the South Central Regional Association of Computing Machinery Computer Programming Contest. The other five were Baylor University, Louisiana State University, the University of Mississippi, the University of Texas-Austin, and the University of Texas-Dallas.

“Our students had a remarkable showing,” said Don Leftwich, chair of the department of mathematical computer and information sciences. “These results show, once again, how well our students measure up when compared with very good students from other universities.”

OC’s teams finished 12th and 21st in the “open” division, which includes universities with graduate programs. Oklahoma Christian placed third and fourth among teams from Oklahoma, and second and fifth among teams without a graduate student.

“In some ways, it’s not a surprise that OC teams did well in this competition,” Leftwich said. “During the past 10 to 15 years, OC teams have consistently placed in the top 25 and occasionally top 10 or top five. Because of our history in this event, competitors and faculty sponsors from other universities expect to see OC teams at the top of the standings.”

OC’s 12th place team consisted of Sarah Bell, Tanya Thompson and Robert Rugamba. The 21st place team consisted of Corbin Murrow of Oklahoma City, Kyler Johnson and Silas Morris.

The contest included 59 teams overall and was held at three locations. OC’s three teams competed at LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas.

-OC-

Bobby passed away on Tuesday, Sept. 25 at the age of 81. His funeral service will take place this Friday, Sept. 28 at 2 p.m. in OC’s Scott Chapel.

Bobby and his wife of 21 years, OC Life Trustee Millie Prince Roberson, are longtime supporters of Oklahoma Christian. Bobby would fondly recall attending the 1958 ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Pat Boone after the school moved from Bartlesville to Oklahoma City.

“We give to Oklahoma Christian because we have so many great friends there," Bobby once said.

Bobby participated on various OC boards and supported Oklahoma Christian in many ways, including a perpetual endowment that will provide scholarships for OC students for generations to come.

Likewise, Millie has supported Oklahoma Christian for decades. Many young engineers have taken their first steps into thermodynamics and systems design within the halls of the Prince Engineering Center, one of OC’s finest academic venues. The PEC, made possible through Millie's generosity, is named in honor of Millie and her late husband, Darryll Prince.

Both Bobby and Millie lost their first spouses early in life, but found a common love for business and a passion for service.

In 2005, Oklahoma Christian presented Bobby with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree for his leadership in business and in the community.

His homegrown company, originally known as Southwest Typewriter Company, began in his one-car garage in 1956 with a $50 loan from his mother. His business grew into a multimillion-dollar conglomerate, ImageNet America, and is now run by his children and grandchildren.

A U.S. Marine and a veteran of the Korean War, Bobby was a lifelong member of the Church of Christ and served as a teacher, deacon and elder.

He is survived by Millie, two children, six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

“Bobby was a great man. He loved his family, he loved his God, and he loved making a difference for others. He will be missed greatly,” OC president John deSteiguer said.

The Roberson family requests that memorials be made to Oklahoma Christian. Online condolences may be shared at www.havenbrookfuneralhome.com.

-OC-

Thursday, March 29, 5:00 pm – PEC229
"Saturn V Guidance Equations"

Debra Diepenbrock will participate in a prominent summer academy in computer science and engineering at the University of Washington. The academy is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Oracle and Google, among other donors. Diepenbrock, from Moundridge, Ks., is hearing impaired and majoring in mechanical engineering.

Hansen, a second-year student majoring in international business, is fluent in Thai language and culture and excels in the university fellows program as an honors student.

"Riley has added so much to our programs, classes and our campus," said honors director Scott LaMascus. "The greatest joy of his selection to study at Oxford is that Riley has such an open, global perspective as a Christian who will, I know, make an increasingly large impact everywhere he goes. He's just a great young man."

The Scholars Semester in Oxford is offered by the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. The competitive program is for Christian students who seek to read, learn and live in the "City of Dreaming Spires." The Scholars' Semester allows students to live in Wycliffe Hall as a visiting student of Oxford University. Students engage in intensive scholarship with the Oxford tutorial system.

The UW Summer Academy for Advancing Deaf & Hard of Hearing in Computing selects the best candidates from universities across the nation to come together with faculty for credit-bearing courses with guest speakers and field trips to Microsoft, Cray, Adobe and IBM corporate centers. Students and faculty also meet with deaf or hard-of-hearing employees in computer science and engineering.

"The Honors program is so proud to have Diepenbrock in our living/learning community, where she is making a real impact on the Honors Class of 2015," said LaMascus. "She is a student who has shown the capacity to excel, and whose aspirations to serve others encompasses her dreams of making an impact in pediatric oncology or biomedical engineering. This ethic of service grows from her deep faith in Christ."

Diepenbrock’s mother, Julie Sheerer Diepenbrock, is a 1986 OC graduate.

Mikell, an associate professor of biology, has helped improve a bio-filter that can be used to create clean drinking water. OC professors Ryan Newberry, chair of the department of mechanical engineering and the graduate school of engineering, and Bill Ryan, professor of engineering sciences, have been an integral part of the research process behind the filter, which was first tested in labs on the OC campus.

“We want to produce filters that are safe, inexpensive and easy to maintain,” Mikell said.

While in the Philippines, Mikell worked with OC alumnus Bill Westerberg, a missionary in the city of Talisay in the Cebu province. Mikell’s home church in Luther, Okla., supports Westerberg.

“I was so blessed to have had this opportunity,” Mikell said. “The filter is what these people need. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed the people there, and I can still see their faces every day.”

Mikell also worked in the Philippines with OC alumnus and Philipino native Sal Cariaga. According to Sal, Mikell’s bio-filter saves money and lives.

“Waterborne illness is one of the leading causes of child-death and loss of productivity among adults,” Cariaga said. “Al’s water filter is organic and does not use chemicals. It is low-maintenance and very low cost.” 

Mikell worked with Sal’s staff to set up and test a generic filter using local materials. He then taught them how to duplicate his system, which will hopefully expand across the country. His trip and instruments were funded by a grant from Partners for Christian Education, a nonprofit in Oklahoma City affiliated with members of the church of Christ that helps establish Christian schools.

“I really feel that due to the prayers of so many loving brothers and sisters, we were able to get our working prototype in place,” Mikell said. “This allowed me to work out the details for a new and improved model.”

Sal also mentioned that Mikell did not hesitate to help or get dirty. One night Mikell attended a Bible study and someone became ill. Mikell helped carry the patient to the hospital and then returned to the village of Arapal to test a bio-filter he had installed earlier.

Mikell wanted to identify with the people he was helping. Therefore, he chose to stay in a grass hut without electricity or plumbing, just as many of the people in that village do every day. Mikell helped conduct Bible studies and preached in house churches and schools. He also visited a number of goat raisers in Cebu that work with the nonprofit organization Give-A-Goat.

Sal’s son, OC alumnus Peter Cariaga, founded the Oklahoma City-based Give-A-Goat, which provides a solution to poverty by giving free goats and training to impoverished families in the Philippines. Sal helps distribute the goats, and he also helps run the Arapal Children’s Home, which now uses one of Mikell’s bio-filters.

“We no longer have to purchase purified water at the goat farm or children’s home,” Sal said. “We believe that Al’s system can reduce water-borne death and disease all over the country.”

When asked about his trip, Mikell said he received more than he gave.

“I love and really miss the great people in the Philippines, who are like my family now. They live unhurried lives and appreciate the good things that God gives them. I miss their smiling faces. I have never been treated as well as they treated me.”

According to OC president Mike O’Neal, Mikell represents the best of the OC community.

“I am so grateful to work with great people like Al, who took part of his summer to help the people of the Philippines,” said Mike O’Neal. “I commend him for his servant heart.”

The trip was even more touching for Mikell because his father was stationed in the Philippines during World War II. The GI Bill allowed Mikell’s dad to attend college, which paved the way for Mikell to attend himself, ultimately becoming a biology professor.

“This trip made my dad very happy, because it was great to see God bring us full circle to the Philippines and to give back to these great people,” Mikell said. “It is so rewarding to see God’s simple plan working so dramatically with in the Church of Christ. What a glory to be a small part of this great work.”

“We are incredibly honored to add these highly accomplished individuals to our university,” said Oklahoma Christian President Mike O’Neal. “Each of these faculty are dedicated to scholarship and service in the classroom. They will enhance our students’ abilities to positively affect the communities in which they live and work.”

Charles Rix is an assistant professor of Bible and holds a doctorate in Biblical studies from Drew Theological School. He also holds a master’s degree from the Thunderbird School of Global Management and has multiple Six Sigma certifications. Rix previously served as an associate dean and professor at the New Brunswick Theological Seminary. In addition, he is a retired financial executive for Exxon and has served as a minister for 17 years. An accomplished pianist, Rix has performed around the world including St. Petersburg, Russia, and has been a finalist in international pianist competitions in Paris and New York City.

Grant Testut is an assistant professor of Bible. He received his doctorate in comparative semitics from the prestigious Hebrew Union College. He has also taught principles of Bible translation in Africa to Tanzanians, Zimbabwians and Malawians. Testut met his wife in Tanzania while on a mission trip. He is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature.

Allison Cassady is an assistant professor of education and a former public school teacher in Texas. She graduates this year with her Ph.D in curriculum and instruction from the University of Texas. Cassady is also a co-founding member of the Consortium for Research in Teacher Education. One of her areas of study is classroom management decision-making skills.

Dan Sorensen is an assistant professor of business who previously taught at Rochester College in Detroit, Mich. He is a doctoral student in the school of business at Anderson University and holds an MBA from Vanderbilt University. Sorensen has more than 20 years of business industry experience working in financial and information technology positions for companies such as Arthur Anderson and Toyota.

Sada Knowles is an instructor in the department of psychology and family studies. She is a doctoral student in Oklahoma State University’s department of human development and family science. An OC graduate, Knowles is a member of both the National and Oklahoma Councils on Family Relations. She is currently studying how family, neighborhood and school factors relate to adaptation in at-risk youth.

Kenneth Bell is an assistant professor of electrical engineering. For the last last 16 years he has been a systems engineer at BAE Systems, a global defense and security company with approximately 100,000 employees worldwide. Bell holds a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Connecticut, and he has also coached high school students in robotics competitions. In addition, Bell has travelled more than 10,000 miles on foot, including the Appalachian Trail twice and the Pacific Crest Trail once. 

Rooney is chairman and controlling shareholder of First National Bank of Oklahoma. He is also extensively involved in the community, serving as president of the Last Frontier Council Boy Scouts of America and chairman of the Oklahoma Student Loan Authority. Rooney also serves as a director for Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation and the Oklahoma Medical Center Foundation.

He is a trustee for MAPS for Kids, the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation and the Inasmuch Foundation. Rooney is also past chairman of The Education and Employment Ministry. He has degrees in English and economics from Trinity University.

Commencement will include degree candidates from OC’s Fast Track MBA program, along with the Master of Science in Engineering program. For further information regarding the graduation activities, visit this webpage or call 405-425-5200.

“We are honored to be ranked among the best universities in the West region,” said Mike O’Neal, president of Oklahoma Christian. “This is a reflection of the hard work of our dedicated faculty, staff and students.”

For this project, The Princeton Review asked students attending the schools to rate their own colleges on several issues—from the accessibility of their professors to quality of the campus food—and answer questions about themselves, their fellow students and their campus life.

“We’re pleased to recommend Oklahoma Christian to users of our site as one of the best schools to earn their degree,” said Robert Franek, Princeton Review’s publisher. “We chose it mainly for its excellent academic programs. From several hundred schools in each region, we winnowed our list based on institutional data we collected directly from the schools, our visits to schools over the years, and the opinions of our staff, plus college counselors and advisors whose recommendations we invite. 

The Princeton Review also takes into account what students at the schools reported about their campus experiences on an 80-question student survey for this project.  Only schools that permit the group to independently survey their students are eligible to be considered for the regional “Best” lists. 

The 121 colleges that The Princeton Review chose for its “Best in the West” list are located in 15 states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Collectively, the 629 colleges named “regional best” constitute about 25 percent of the nation’s 2,500 four-year colleges.

Last year The Princeton Review also named Oklahoma Christian as one of the top 50 undergraduate gaming design programs in the nation. It was the only one in Oklahoma to make the list.

They’re in important professions. They’re doing things they love. But they don’t make the kind of money that makes having three college students easy (if there is such a thing).

The Floyds have had three kids make the short trip from Mesquite, Texas (a Dallas suburb) to Oklahoma Christian. All three were at OC together until Lindsey, the oldest, graduated this year with a degree in psychology. Kalee majors in business and Tyler majors in engineering.

“This is the only school they’ve ever wanted to go to,” Keith said. “It’s a great school. It’s worth it to find a way for them to come here. It really is.”

Lindsey and Kalee became familiar with Oklahoma Christian when the student performing groups New Reign and Summer Singers came to their summer camp. Lindsey visited campus after that … and instantly felt connected.

“I loved it here,” Lindsey said. “The faculty and students were outgoing and friendly, even to people they didn’t know. It was a pleasant atmosphere. Everyone was happy and nice.”

The warm feelings continued after Lindsey became a student. A lot of people she knew from Texas also chose OC. 

Kalee followed her older sister to Oklahoma Christian. The Floyds weren’t sure they could afford for her to attend. But the leap of faith paid off when Kalee made New Reign.

“I was really surprised when I made New Reign, and when I found out how much the scholarship was, I nearly cried. It was such a relief to know that more of my tuition would be covered,” Kalee said. “I truly feel like I am in the group for a reason, because I prayed so much that God would help me find a way to pay for my college. I thank God that He has blessed me to be able to do this, and that I can spread the word about Him in the process.”

OC’s focus on God, in the classroom and beyond, appealed to the Floyds. Keith attended Oklahoma Christian in the early 80s while Beverly went to a state school and never felt the connection to her professors that their children do. 

“Our kids went to a big high school where you see and hear everything. I wanted them to be in a Christian atmosphere so they wouldn’t have to deal with all the stuff they dealt with in high school,” Beverly said. “I love the size of the campus, and I love that the instructors go to the churches they attend. It’s a different world.”

And a world of opportunity. Lindsey also sang with New Reign, and earned other scholarships for her musical ability (she also sang with the Chorale and Chamber Singers) and her ACT score. Tyler was seventh in his high school class, and had many scholarships available to him as he began pursuing his engineering degree at Oklahoma Christian.

It’s all added up to make quality Christian education affordable for a family that wanted their kids to pursue their dreams.

“We are really grateful for OC,” Keith said. “We feel blessed.”

By Wes McKinzie

With six daughters, they’ve been there, done that … and have drawers full of OC t-shirts to prove it. Youngest daughter Emily graduated with an OC nursing degree this year, which marked the 20th anniversary of sending their first daughter to college.

The Hinds are just one family in OC’s Pacific Northwest pipeline. Among the hundreds of students who have come inland to Oklahoma City, four families by the last name of Hinds (including three brothers – Paul, Tom and James) have combined to send 10 children to OC. Fourth brother, John, actually started the trend when he came to OC himself in 1995.

Granted, the Hinds have written many checks for tuition, room and board to Oklahoma Christian, but Paul sees it as an investment that has eternal dividends.

“OC has a unique sense of family and personal engagement between faculty and students to help guide one’s sense of mission in life. The OC culture is attractive to us, and our kids have benefitted greatly,” Paul said from his office at Hinds Instruments, a company that manufactures a broad range of instrumentation for evaluating polarization and light. (The company has hired several OC engineering graduates).

Paul said their girls were able to cover, on average, about 35 percent of their college education with summer jobs, scholarships and savings. Paul and Julie, through a mix of college loans and their own funds, helped with the rest.

“We told each daughter, ‘You do everything you possibly can, mom and dad will do the same, and the Lord will work it all out.’ And He did,” Paul said.

Still, in swapping notes with other parents who have sent children to state schools or other private schools, Paul said he doesn’t feel they’ve paid a premium at OC. He said that is especially true when considering the quality of education received by his daughters, a brother, nieces and nephews, and OC grads hired by their second-generation business.

Paul offers tips for going through the process of choosing college and weighing the investment of a Christian education. He encourages parents to pray unceasingly … and to pick up a new book by OC alumnus Brian Simmons, “Wandering in the Wilderness.” It discusses the faith journeys of young people from the time they leave high school through their 20s.

“Reading through the book helped me appreciate in a new way this stage of life and how OC’s administration, faculty and environment help support our young people during this critical period in their lives,” Paul said.

The Hinds family takes a long view of legacy – not just from one generation to the next, but for the children of their children’s children. It is a legacy of faith: how to faithfully live, how to defend the faith and how to advance the Kingdom.

Paul and his wife, Julie, took a holistic approach to discipling their children, with Christian higher education being a major tenet of their plan.

It will be their grandchildren’s turn before too long. With eight grandkids so far, Paul and Julie want to help send them (and their grandchildren’s grandchildren) to college, hopefully to OC.

“It is not about us and what we can do. It’s about helping the next generation and seeing them use their talents in their careers, homes, communities and the church,” Paul said. “The Lord has blessed us, and whether he chooses to bless us or refine us, may he find us faithful.”

By Dawn Shelton

Mechanical Engineering Student Accomplishments
In 2010, OC’s student team placed first in the oral presentation event at the Aero Design Competition, which helps develop the fundamental understanding of flight in a real-life engineering challenge. This year, OC’s team placed fourth overall in the entire competition.

OC’s student team placed second in the 2011 American Society of Mechanical Engineering Design Competition, which requires each team to design, construct and operate a prototype that meets requirements of a problem statement.

Student Lara Killingsworth presented a research paper at the 2011 ASME Regional Conference.

Electrical and Computer Engineering Student Accomplishments
Students Nate West and Asa Blackerby placed second in the undergraduate student team design contest at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Region 5 Annual Conference in Baton, Rouge, La. Student Ivan Yeoh presented at the conference, while Steven Bell placed second in a computer engineering competition there.

Faculty Accomplishments
Professor Byron Newberry had four papers published in the American Society for Engineering Education National Conference & Exposition. Newberry had two papers published in 2011 and one in 2010. He also had a paper published in the proceedings of the 2009 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition.

In 2011, Dr. Richard Miller and Newberry completed the final year of a $100,000 National Science Foundation grant on enhancing the mathematics education and retention of engineering freshmen. In addition, Dr. Wayne Whaley and Dr. David Cassel served on the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam National Committee for the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying. Whaley also served for the 16th year at the Oklahoma Odyssey of the Mind student competition. In addition, Dr. Bill Ryan completed his seventh year as director of the OKBest Student Robotics Competition.

In addition, professor Steve Maher presented at the International Symposium for Testing and Failure Conference in Dallas, which is the premier event for the microelectronics failure analysis community.

“The top water development charities in the world are watching this project because it is a new approach to clean water development,” said Ryan Groves, who has been a consultant to R4W. He is an Oklahoma Christian student and executive director of Wishing Well, a group that has funded 65 wells across the globe since 2006. “It has the potential to dramatically increase access to clean water in Africa and other developing countries.”

One unique aspect of the project is the involvement by the students, who are Rwandan Presidential Scholars studying at Oklahoma Christian. They were selected among the top students in the country to study in a field such as engineering, then to go back and develop the country. Though these students are only juniors, the government believes in the drilling project so much that it covered transportation costs for the summer.

“This Rwandan project encourages ownership by citizens and the government where the drilling will occur,” Groves said. “It’s not the old approach involving an expatriate going over, setting things up and then leaving.”

Another unique aspect of the Rwandan project is the dramatically lower costs realized through improvements in drilling techniques. Oklahoma City-based Water4Foundation developed these techniques.

“Previous methods cost $15,000 for just one well,” Groves said. “These new hand-drilling techniques cut the costs to $700 each. This is the future of drilling wells in developing countries.”

The students have been training with Water4Foundation for the last few months, while also organizing a drilling schedule with Rwandan officials in the 15 cities and holding fundraisers in Oklahoma City.

“We teamed with Wishing Well and hosted a benefit concert at Bridgeway Church in April,” said R4W coordinator Aloys Zunguzungu. “All proceeds went to fund this project.”

The students credit their faiths and the help they have received from Oklahomans for the project’s initial success.

“We recognize God’s hand behind this initiative and he will be with us until its completion,” said Zunguzungu. “We also want to express our deep appreciation to our amazing partners and Oklahoma Christian students that made this idea a reality.”

According to Oklahoma Christian president Mike O’Neal, this is a great example of students having a global impact.

“This project has the potential to do some incredible short-term and long-term good for the people of Rwanda and other parts of Africa that are lacking clean, accessible water,” said O’Neal. “What is most promising is the long-term potential. These students have created a business plan that will fund the development of future wells in other locations. Each new well will change the lives of hundreds of people by allowing the children to attend school and by allowing adults to engage in productive work instead of having to spend hours transporting water for survival and household needs.”

While the students are in Rwanda now, they are continuing to raise funds for future wells.

“Donations of any kind are appreciated,” Zunguzungu said. “We have a page on our website that makes it very easy to donate.”

For more information about R4W, visit www.rwandans4water.org. Access to cleaner water reduces health diseases. It also reduces the time that children spend gathering water, which allows them to spend more time studying. The Rwandan students believe that improved health and education will result in increased economic productivity, which will help the country continue to develop as a nation.

Dr. Jack White - 2010 Commencement Address

Students Nathan West and Xu Chen placed second in the circuit design competition. Steven Bell placed second in the student paper category. His article was titled “An Overview of Optimal Graph Search Algorithms for Robot Path Planning in Dynamic or Uncertain Environments.”

J.P. Karenzi, Alain Shema, Alex Tulikumwenayo, Yves Mujyambere and Todd Lukkason placed fifth in the robotics team competition. These five students competed against 26 teams from 10 states.

“Our students represented Oklahoma Christian very well,” said David Waldo, professor of electrical and computer engineering. “We are very proud of them.”

The IEEE is the world’s largest professional organization for the advancement of technology. International, national and regional student competitions are held each year.

The Water4 Foundation recently demonstrated a low-cost hand drilling method and a low-cost durable hand pump to Oklahoma Christian University engineering and MBA students on the OC campus. Oklahoma Christian students who founded and operate Wishing Well, which has completed 65 water projects in several African countries, are partnering with Water4. The foundation is also hoping that engineering students at OC will consider starting a business drilling wells in remote areas of Africa. According to Dick Greenly, a geologist with Pumps of Oklahoma who volunteers for Water4, a profit of $200 per well or more can be made on each well because the drilling instruments, pump and labor are very inexpensive and can even be made from materials already in-country. Most villages, he said, can afford the $600 and will gladly pay it to have a clean, convenient water source. It is also important for the villagers to have some buy-in for the well so they will maintain it.

The hand drilling method can drill a well as deep as 300 feet, through rock if necessary, and costs about $600, compared with $15,000 in Africa for a mechanically drilled well. The hand drilling equipment is also highly portable, capable of being carried by the workers, making wells possible in areas not accessible by vehicles. The method does not require water, often a problem in remote areas with mechanical drilling.

The drilling method, cable tool, was used over 3,000 years ago by the Chinese, according to Greenly. “We researched a number of hand drilling techniques and this was the most efficient and cost effective for what we were trying to accomplish.” Greenly also developed a low-cost hand pump from PVC that can be produced in country and is very durable.
During the past year, the Water4 Foundation has brought clean water to people in 24 countries including Zambia, Mozambique, Ecuador and Ethiopia. World Vision International provided $2.5 million budget for Water4 to continue its ambitious water drilling program. 

“Our goal is to get fresh water to 1 million people by 2020,” Greenly said.  “Currently, we’re completing 12 wells a week, bringing fresh water to approximately 5,000 people weekly. Working with OC students and Wishing Well, we hope to accelerate the program. Since the locals can make money drilling these wells, we are bringing them fresh water, helping the local economy and sharing the love of Christ.”

For more information on The Water4 Foundation, contact Christopher W. Cotner, Executive Director, Water4 Foundation, P.O. Box 8304, Edmond, OK 73083-8304.  Telephone: 405-694-5214 or log onto water4.org.

Ryan Jones is a recent graduate of Electrical Engineering at Oklahoma Christian University. Immediately after graduation, he went to the Philippines to do summer mission work with us. He did everything we asked him to do except dance. One of the things he did while he was there was install and wire a solar panel for a widow who lived in the woods.

The widow, Estrella, is one of our hardest working goat raisers. She lives in the middle of a wooded area, far from her neighbors. Estrella is raising a teen age son and four grand children. Through goat and vermi raising, Estrella is fast becoming self-sufficient. This year, she is paying for her son’s education while we are helping her grandkids. Soon, she hopes to take care of the rest through our livelihood program.

Thanks to Ryan, Estrella now has electricity. The children living with her can now study their lessons at night. Special thanks to Loren Stroup, of Fort Worth, for donating the solar panel.

To learn more about the work Ryan is doing in the Philippines, click here.

To learn more about the incredible ministry of Salvador Cariaga in the Philippines, click here.

Two of our ECE (Electrical and Computer Engineering) students, Alline Kabbatende and Ryan Jones, won third place in the IEEE Region 5 Ethics Contest this past weekend at the IEEE Region 5 Conference in Lubbock, TX.

We also had an ECE student, Yves Mujyambere, win 2nd place in the IEEE Oklahoma City Section Student Paper Contest. His paper went on to the IEEE Region 5 North Area Contest where he won 2nd place. He competed in the IEEE Region 5 Student Paper contest but did not place. He did a great job representing Oklahoma Christian University at the Region 5 Conference. The title of his paper was Dolby Digital 5.1.

From left to right: Alex Tulikumwenayo, Yves Mujyambere, Alline Kabbatende, Ryan Jones, and David Waldo.

Be sure to congratulate these students on their great accomplishments!