student life

LETU TAIR Conference

 

The TAIR conference is something that I look forward to each Spring. “The Texas Association for the Improvement of Reading, provides literacy educators with the opportunity to interact with outstanding professionals; become acquainted with current research, methods, and materials; and share successful instructional strategies”
 
This year, LeTourneau University’s annual conference was held on March 25, 2011. Bettina Restrepo was our guest speaker. She exhibited an enthusiasm for writing and for teaching young writers that was very evident. As with tradition, graduating seniors also presented during break- out sessions. This is one of my favorite “projects” because it gives the students an opportunity to highlight up-to-date methods and fresh ideas on how to teach many different aspects of reading.
 
This year, we also had a change of scenery. In years past, the conference was mainly held in our Education building at LeTourneau University and our lunch was in MSC-3; however, this year our teachers and students were able to enjoy a beautiful spring day as we traveled between the Education building, Solheim Gym, and some even ventured out into Longview Hall.
 
During lunch everyone was able to show their creativity as we drew “graffiti” on the tables with art about literacy. The day was filled with lots of ideas, virtual field trips, foldables, artifacts, and so much more. I am proud that LeTourneau University host’s a conference that advocates such an important aspect of our education.

- Rebekah Bergren
Education Major

Stage Right - Rabbit Hole

Students at LETU aren't just about homework, chapel, and intramurals. A club called Stage Right is working on bringing more publicity to the arts on campus.  Every semester Stage Right puts on a full length play with cast members from every area of campus.  A few weeks ago the Pulitzer prize winning play, Rabbit Hole, written by David Lindsay-Abaire, was performed in LETU's own Belcher Performing Arts Center.  I was given the opportunity to direct the play with Assistant Directing from Freshmen Air Craft Systems student, Alex Wood.  The cast and crew included: Jen Holland, Emily Johnson, Ben Penticoff, Danae Luckert, Westleigh Iffland, and Garrett "Astro" Robbins, Anthony "Fro" Horner, and Erich Hoffmann.  The show was a big success and Stage Right brings another dynamic to campus that allows students to get involved in even more ways.  We are trying to use the gifts God has given us to entertain our audience, tell a story, and play make-believe.  These are the reasons I love theater.

  

 

- Candyce Braker
Psychology Major

Beach Reach 2011, South Padre TX

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” II Corinthians 10:3-6

Before we even set foot on South Padre Island, we knew there would be a battle awaiting us. We knew that we would face trials, we would see hearts without hope, and we would be challenged. However, God surpassed my expectations.

Twenty-three students and adults embarked on this trip to South Padre, most of who had never been to a Beach Reach event before. We were met with 700 other students and young adults there to serve with Beach Reach as well throughout the week.  Beach Reach is an organization that was started thirty years ago by Buddy Young, a man who had a vision for those who came to the beach to party to then be encountered with the love of Christ, And that was our goal- to carry the love of Christ to this island, to serve the people just as Christ came to serve us, and to be the hands and feet of God. In this pursuit, we offered free van rides and pancakes, did beach evangelism, and approached the battle through prayer. Several on our team had a chance to share their personal testimony to others who could relate. It was amazing to see the walls coming down in many of the Spring Breaker’s hearts, because they felt the same pain, but they also desire the same redemption.

My generation is desperate. They are desperate for Christ, even though most do not know it.  They are searching for excitement, contentment, fulfillment, and love. Every person desires these things, but few truly know where to find them.  Through this trip, my eyes were opened to a battle raging against my generation. This trip placed reality to this battle.  Satan wants to draw young people’s hearts away from God.  On the other hand, we serve a God who desires those hearts even more, and He holds all the power in His hands. He is continually wooing our hearts back to Him, so that we will find a place of love and trust.

Throughout the week in South Padre, God moved incredibly. He planted many, many seeds, won hearts for His kingdom, and He knit His body of believers together. We left as twenty-three individuals, but we came back one team.  We knew that our schedule would be very challenging throughout the week, and that we would be stretched, sometimes beyond our comfort zone. But through this, God bound us as a team together. God was so faithful throughout the entire time we were on this trip.  We truly serve an indescribable God.
 
- Kelsey Carter
Elementary Education Major

 

Sadie Hawkins!

Palms sweaty, knees shaking, I walked up to him and said, “Alex, will you go to the Sadie Hawkins Bowl with my roommate?”  He said yes, and that was how the night of Sadie-Hawkins style fun began!

 
Like the Relient K song, girls got to ask the guys for this event- but this time it was with a twist- the girl’s got to ask the guy for their roommate!  I asked a cool guy named Alex for my roommate, and my roommate asked another awesome guy named Charles for me.  Together, along with girls and guys from our floor (ELH1) and our brother floor (3B), we got to experience a fun night of bowling.

Since LeTourneau social life is all about having fun and hanging out with fellow students, our group decided to pick a theme for the Sadie Hawkins Bowl.  The ELH1ers and 3Bers got together and decided on a fun Hillbilly theme for the bowling night.  We all donned our very best overalls and plaid shirts and met up in style at the Longview bowling alleys.  I was wearing my very best jean-cowgirl style skirt that looked a little bit ridiculous with my classy bowling shoes, but made it all the more fun.

Then- it was bowling time!  I had some pretty tough competition in my group, but that didn’t stop me from learning how to have fun AND lose at the same time.  Some of the guys even gave me bowling tips that I used while bowling with a neon pink bowling ball.  There was energetic music playing in the background and whenever anyone bowled a strike or a spare, they had to show us their best dance move.
 
After the night was done, we were all smiles as we headed out to go get some yummy waffles at the Waffle Shop and hang out a little bit longer.  No one wanted to go-which we realized was the sign of having a good ‘ol time with each other.

- Laura McKinstry
Biology Major

 

Transferring to LeTourneau

When I was finishing up my senior year of high school in 2007 and I had no idea what I was supposed to do with my life. I was never a straight “A” student or ever considered honor roll, so I knew that getting accepted into a four-year university would be difficult right out of high school. Later that summer, I got an awesome full-time job as a bank teller and began going to school part-time that fall at a community college in Waco, TX. Over the next two years I was able to gain experience in the workforce and at the same time was able to work on boosting my GPA at the community college.
 
When 2009 rolled around, I knew it was time for me to begin getting serious about getting into a four-year university, so I began my search for the right school for me. I knew that I wanted a Christian university, I wanted to stay in Texas, and I wanted to find a great Social Studies Education program. After much consideration, my search led me to two different universities. I had the choice of going to large university in Waco or attending a small Christian university in Longview, TX whose name I could barely spell.

I received acceptance letters from both schools and now had to make a choice. Honestly, my heart was totally set on going to the school closest to home because I had grown up around the school my whole life and already felt like I was enrolled there. As a few weeks went by, I kept getting more and more information and calls from my admission counselor at LeTourneau. I thought it was so awesome that a school was showing so much interest in me, that I decided to go to Longview and check out the campus.

After I previewed, I knew that this was the place where God wanted me. The experience I had after previewing the campus was so much different from my experience at the larger university. The students were ridiculously friendly, the campus, facilities, and dorms were awesome, and the thing that most intrigued me was the closeness of the professors and staff to the students. I could tell the professors were interested in me as an individual, not just another paper or test to grade.

Needless to say, I transferred to LeTourneau in the fall of ’09 and never looked back to what “might have been” at a different school. My experiences at LeTourneau thus far have way surpassed my expectations. I live on 3B (Tyler Hall East 3rd Floor) and couldn’t be happier with the guys I live with and our awesome sister floor, ELH1 (Evelyn LeTourneau Hall, 1st floor). All of my professors are more than willing to take time out of their day to talk about academics or offer spiritual guidance. I’ve had the privilege to be a Peer Advisor (P.A.) the past year at LeTourneau, through which have been blessed by being able to mentor a group of freshmen through their first year of college. LeTourneau also has one of the greatest Dean of Students around, Corey Ross. He’s such a friendly, welcoming guy. I mean, how many other college students can say that their Dean of Students has invited them over to watch TV?

I am so incredibly thankful to God for opening this door for me to attend LeTourneau. I wouldn’t want to be at any other university. LeTourneau is definitely my home away from home. I could write a thousand more words about my experiences so far at LeTourneau University, but I’ll keep you in suspense and let you ask me in person when you finally get here!!

- Matt Barr
Social Studies Education

 

Coffee in Cambodia

Hello Friends!
As amazing as my semesters here at LeTourneau University have been, I would have to say that last semester was my favorite.  I had the opportunity to spend two months in Southeast Asia doing a business internship.  I went to Battambang, Cambodia at the beginning of October to work at Sunrise Coffeehouse, a small café that was started by missionaries back in 2002.  I love to travel, and my goal is to open up my own coffee shop one day, so this seemed like the ideal internship for me.  For two months I became an employee of Sunrise and worked alongside four other women, all Cambodia natives.  Only one of the ladies spoke decent English, so communication was a fun task. 

The coffee shop serves mainly tourists and foreigners who are residing in Cambodia for one reason or another.  There were also many groups that came through that were in the country doing different mission projects.  I was able to make a lot of new friends and build some lasting relationships while I was there.  During my time at the café, I dabbled in a few new marketing techniques for the business, and we also looked at their finances and found new ways to make them more cost efficient.  I got to be a waitress, a hostess, a cook, a barista, an interior decorator, and a manager all in a short period of time!  Working in the food industry in a third world country was definitely a different experience than working in the food industry here in the states.  I learned how to work with and in a culture very different from my own.  I got to taste all different kinds of foods, including frog.  I learned how to shop in a street market and bargain for everything.  I got to see Angkor Wat, one of the seven man made wonders of the world, and get a massage that involves little tiny fish eating away at your skin.  I got to see first hand how my faith can be incorporated in everything I do.  I was able to talk about Christ with several of the locals and tourists that visited the café.  The whole time I was abroad, I was taking online classes through LeTourneau University and getting credit for my internship hours, so I wasn’t even put back a semester.  The whole experience was incredible and has caused me to have a new perspective on life and people.  The cross cultural knowledge I received was something that will forever change my life.

   

Danae Luckert
Business Marketing

 

A Red Carpet Event

Who wouldn’t want to go to a Red Carpet Event?!? Well, at LeTourneau University’s LAS Society House this past Friday, that’s exactly what happened. DOK and LAS hosted their open house with the theme of a Red Carpet Event. Everyone got the chance to dress up and have a good time. The sidewalk leading up to the house was lined with red carpet, and as you walked up, your picture was snapped by the paparazzi at the door. Everyone got to feel beautiful and special as they entered this special event.

Walking into the main room, you saw couches lining the walls and groups of people talking around the room. Further into the house was the food table. On this table was a chocolate fountain with many fruits, cookies, or other items to cover in chocolate.  There were other desserts and finger foods available as well.
 
In various bedrooms in the house, board games were being played. One room contained a backdrop and a photographer that took group pictures in a more posed and professional setting. Talking and laughter could be heard throughout the house. It was obvious that this was the place to be on a Friday night at LeTourneau University!

- Jen Leraaen
Biomedical Engineering

 

A Different Kind of Christmas

This Christmas break I was given the opportunity to meet a refugee family from Liberia, Africa. Liberia just got out of Civil War five years ago. The war lasted eighteen years and this family has been living in a refugee camp for all eighteen years. They recently got to opportunity to come to the United States as refugees. They have been in America for six months now.  My parents met them several months ago and have now started a church for refugees to come to. When I came home for the Christmas break I assumed it would be like every other Christmas break; I thought I would come home and begin all my Christmas shopping, instead my family had a different idea. My parents ask my brother and me if we would want to give our Christmas to the Liberians. We agreed that doing this would really bless these Liberians. For the next several weeks we got a Christmas tree, and tons of presents for this family. It was amazing to see this family’s faces when we set up their Christmas tree. They had never seen a Christmas tree in real life. They had seen them in newspapers and magazines, but never in person. The entire family slept in the living room of their apartment the first night they had the tree because they said they fell asleep staring at it. The next week my family brought over all their wrapped presents and put them under the tree. They did not understand what we were placing under the tree, so we asked them if they had ever gotten presents for Christmas. They said that every Christmas they get a live Chicken and cook it with rice and beans for their Christmas dinner. We told them that we did not have a live chicken to give them, but we did have presents for them. I do not think I will ever be able to forget the look on their eyes when we coved the bottom of their tree with presents. I have never seen a family so grateful in my entire life. When I saw their faces I thought back to the moment when my parents asked my brother and me to give our Christmas to the Liberians. I remembered feeling so angry that I was not going to get anything this Christmas, but after I saw the look on these refugee’s faces it made me remember how ungrateful I can be. I was so happy that God allowed me the opportunity to give a family that has been through so much their first America Christmas.

- Sam Reyna
Cross Cultural Christian Ministry Major

 

A Change of Plans!

I have been studying Mechanical Engineering at LeTourneau for the last seven semesters and would love to graduate in May, but I will not be. I found a career that fits my personality and that has added an additional year to my college education. Is that a bad thing? I guess I will find out sooner or later! So what is this career that will take me an additional year? It is an engineering degree with a minor in marketing. I have always loved to relate to customers in my summer jobs and speak with them about their purchases. I have found a joy in helping people buy products from all sorts of stores and try to always get them the best deal ever. I succeed most of the time, but what really makes me happy is being able to help the customer get a good deal on something they will enjoy. This is something that I want to take into my career: to make my customers happy and offer them quality products. I plan on taking my career in engineering and marketing into a corporation where I can learn the product and how it is engineered, and then take my technical skills to the marketplace and work with customers. I am not sure where this career will land me, but I know that God has a plan for me. I was planning on this being my last semester at LeTourneau, but I am really excited about where this new minor I have added to my degree will take me. I know that next year when it is time for graduation I am going to be really happy about the choice I am making today! I love LETU and I’m super excited about my second senior year!

- Zeke Domowski
Mechanical Engineering, Marketing Minor

 

Meet Dr. Wayne Jacobs - Dean of School of Education

NAME: Wayne Jacobs
 
HOMETOWN: Longview
 
COLLEGE: B.S. Stephen F. Austin State University, M.S. Stephen F. Austin State University, Ph.D. Texas A & M University
 
FAMILY: wife - Karen; children - David, Ryan, Kelsey
 
PETS: dogs - Buddy and Sadie, cat - Chloe
 
DEPARTMENT: Kinesiology
 
BEST PART ABOUT BEING A PROFESSOR AT LETOURNEAU UNIVERSITY: interacting with and getting to know my students
 
FAVORITE CLASS TO TEACH: Executive Wellness
 
IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY OTHER PROFESSION, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Pastor
 
WHO HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE IN YOUR LIFE? Most of my teachers
 
INVITE THREE FAMOUS PEOPLE TO DINNER – WHO WOULD THEY BE AND WHY? My wife (she is my best friend), Ken Cooper (professional hero), Tony Dungy (personal hero)
 
TELL US SOMETHINGS THAT ARE ON YOUR BUCKET LIST: skydiving, traveling around Europe, test driving lots of sports cars
 
THE NEXT PLACE I HOPE TO GO ON VACATION IS: Alaska
 
ONE EXCITING THING THAT IS HAPPENING IN MY PROGRAM RIGHT NOW IS.
 We have an increasing number of international students and they are great!