A newsletter for alumni of Nyack College and Alliance Theological Seminary

Welcome to Nyack Nation--a publication created just for you filled with the latest achievements and life events of Nyack & ATS alumni. Please share your news and stories on our website or by emailing them to alumni@nyack.edu. And keep the conversation going on Twitter and Facebook using #NyackNation and #NyackCollege. We look forward to hearing from you soon!


L-R: Vice President for College Relations Jeff Quinn and President Michael G. Scales with Dorothy Hostetter '57 at the Chapel Pointe Alumni and Friends Luncheon
Northeast Ohio Alumni and Friends Luncheon
Nyack/ATS Chapter Events - Where's Nyack Now?

Nyack College/ATS hosted two alumni chapter events last fall. The Northeast Ohio Alumni and Friends Luncheon took place at Grace Church in Middleburg Heights, Ohio on November 14. An Alumni and Friends Luncheon on November 17 was held at Chapel Pointe in Carlisle, PA. A heartwarming moment was experienced by all during a special lifetime achievement award presentation to Dorothy Hostetter, 1957 alumna who made it her business to document life at Chapel Pointe. The result is the legendary resident author's book, If These Walls Could Talk, published in May 2014.
 
Alumni and friends who attended these events reconnected with their alma mater, enjoyed fellowship, and heard the latest college and seminary updates.


Upcoming Alumni Events:

February 22, 2016
Alumni & Friends Dinner
Alliance Community for Retirement Living
Deland, Florida

February 23, 2016
Alumni & Friends Dinner
Shell Point Retirement Community
Fort Myers, Florida

If you are interested in helping the Office of College Relations plan and host an event in your area, please contact Erica Videc, Manager of Advancement and Alumni Services, at erica.videc@nyack.edu or 845-675-4426.
Alumni Generosity 
Dr. Bill Cooper (NC '53) Serving by Supporting

Rev. Vilmer Paul successfully defended his Doctor of Ministry dissertation this past fall at Alliance Theological Seminary on the Rockland County campus in Nyack, NY. Rev. Paul is one of three Haitian pastors sponsored by Nyack College alumnus and retired pastor Rev. Bill Cooper (NC '53).

Rev. Cooper has faithfully advanced the gospel through ministry abroad as well as in churches in the U.S. Before his retirement in 1989, he served churches in the Detroit Conference of the United Methodist Church beginning in 1961. His last ministry assignment was at the Ames United Methodist Church in Saginaw, MI. In 1990, he entered the field of higher education and taught at Donetsk Biblical Seminary in Donetsk, Ukraine for 10 years. He was invited to teach at seminaries owned by OMS International in Moscow, India, Indonesia, Kazakestan. In 2000, he established Emmaus Biblical Seminary in Haiti, which currently has 60 students.
 
Two more Haitian pastors will complete degrees at Alliance Theological Seminary under the auspices of Rev. Cooper, who has far from retired as he teaches two Bible classes each week in two churches in Fort Collins, CO.
 
Pictured (l-r) Dr. Martin Sanders, director of the ATS Doctor of Ministry program; Rev. Vilmer Paul; Dr. Frank Chan, D. Min. Dissertation Coordinator and professor of Bible; and Rev. Bill Cooper
The Craig Ellison Scholarship Fund ~ Preserving a Legacy


The Alliance Graduate School of Counseling (AGSC) began in 1982 as a concept that Dr. Craig Ellison envisioned for a master's level counseling program to train future counselors passionate about addressing the psycho-spiritual needs of hurting people in the church, on the mission field, in urban centers, and in local communities.

Craig Ellison's death on March 13, 2012 was a loss felt deeply by many. Less than a year after his passing, a team of AGSC alumni mobilized to honor the pioneering founder with the goal of establishing an endowed scholarship in his name.
 
If you would like to contribute to this scholarship fund, visit www.nyack.edu/givenow or call 866-721-7946. No gift is too small and every contribution ensures that the name and work of Dr. Ellison will continue to be honored as generations of students benefit from this resource. To learn more, click here. 
GENERAL NEWS

'64 David P. Jones' book, So Being Sent...They Went: A History of the C&MA Mission in Cabinda, from 1885 to 1957, was published in November 2015. As taken from the book's description on Amazon.com, "It is a fascinating narrative--from an excellent story teller--of how the history of the Congo Church is intertwined with the history of the Cabinda Church." To read more, click here.
 
'65 Joy (McGarvey) Bupp and husband, Dennis ('67) Bupp, have a "watchmen ministry" to Israel. Visit their blog to learn more. After 30 years as hospital chaplain, Dennis retired and the couple moved from New Castle to Grove City, PA. The above photo was taken during the NYC Adventure tour at Homecoming 2016, when Joy celebrated her 50th anniversary reunion from Nyack!

'66 David Robert Black and wife, Bernice (Starr '66) Black, happily reside in Ohio. Rev. Black is the pastor of Calvary Presbyterian Church and Covenant Presbyterian Church, both in Warren, OH. 

'67 George L. Miller's sixth book,  The Book of Ruth: A Commentary, was self-published in September 2015 by Xlibris. This guide through the four chapters of Ruth is filled with a history of romance, hardship, separation, and redemption. 

'70 Florence (DeVaughn-Gersten) Zeim is deacon at Westtown Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Westtown, NY. 

'71 Donald L. Paine  
has run the New York City Marathon for 28 of the past 30 years. He has been chaplain for the event and planned a worship service, "For Runners by Runners," at Fort Wadsworth in Staten Island the morning of the race. He has also been a part of Fred's Team, an organization that raises funds for Pediatric Cancer Research at Memorial Sloan Kettering in NYC, since its inception.
Don lost his sense of calling, meaning, and purpose in life about two years ago after several personal losses. He describes his journey as "long and difficult, but I learned a lot about my inner world, people around me, and the God who is present regardless of whether I feel His presence or not." Don began using Twitter in October in honor of the renewal, resurgence, and rebirth that he felt to affirm the lesson that God is present even when He seems or feels absent.

A resident of the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts with his wife of 11 years, he enjoys his three grown children and five grandchildren.

'74 Donald N. Hammond was appointed to a two-year term as deputy mayor of the village of Nyack in January 2015. He is also CEO and President of Meals on Wheels Programs & Services of Rockland, Inc., a not-for-profit community service agency with an annual budget of more than $3 million, a staff of more than 80 employees and over 500 volunteers. More than 9 million meals have been delivered to County residents since 1974. To learn more about Rockland's Meals on Wheels, visit http://mowrockland.org.


'75 Betty James retired from the Social Security Administration in 2011. She is currently serving as minister of Transformation Church in Baltimore, MD. 

'75 NC, '83 ATS William Caleb Teng was welcomed as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Arcadia in Florida in August. The Pastoral Nominating Committee considered more than 70 applicants and ultimately recommended Rev. Teng for this position. He has served congregations in New York, Texas, Hong Kong, Florida, Washington D.C., and Virginia. He was also a volunteer chaplain with the Civil Air Patrol and the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary. 


'78 NC, '80 ATS David W. Bill and wife, Teresa (Graves) Bill (ATS '83), after 20 years in Gabon and eight years in the Republic of Congo as international workers, are planning to transition out of the Congo in June 2016. They have three grown children and two grandsons. 

'82 Beth (Otten) Evans has been a vocal music teacher in Alexandria City Public schools for the past 25 years, and is certified in Kodaly. She is also the organist for her church.
 
'82 David Evans is proud to announce that his daughter, McKenzie, is following in their family tradition and is currently a third generation freshman at Nyack.
 
'84 Paul Barner has been in ministry in the Philippines for 20 years, has planted 20 churches, one orphanage, and one school.
 
'85 Darlene R. (Canedy) Smith, a veteran in health and social services, has been appointed Steuben County Public Health Director. She most recently worked with the County Department of Social Services as assistant director of services, with oversight of 30 staff in the foster care, adoption, adult protective, and home care teams. 
'86 David Flynn, Latin American Catalytic Team Leader for theCenter for Mission Mobilization (CMM), has recently joined the Perspective Global Team as Director of Program Development. He and his wife, Elizabeth, moved to Lima, Peru in July 2015 to help coordinate and serve all Perspectives Global Español efforts in Latin America. David is also one of the facilitators for the Support Raising Solutions Bootcamps, a ministry of the CMM.

'87 Douglas Anthony completed a Ph.D. in music/ethnomusicology at The Ohio State University on May 10, 2015. He also earned an MM degree from Bowling Green State University in 2001. Doug and his wife, Mary Lu (Reiley '87) Anthony, led worship ministries at Living Christ Church (formerly Simpson Memorial Church) from 1990 until 2014. The couple is currently serving full-time with Freedom to Lead International where Doug is the Director of Storycentric Arts Development.

'90 Barbara Fontanez Joseph currently lives with her husband, Leo, and three boys near Birmingham, AL. She teaches piano and voice for a private conservatory.
 
'90 Martha (Steenburgh) Higgins is married to Steve Higgins and has two sons. She teaches kindergarten at Central Valley School. Martha is planning a missions trip to Ecuador in February 2016.
 
'90 Lori (Sutherland) Roach is teaching ESL at Liberty University.
 
'91 Mary (Gettman) Smid has been married to her husband, Hans, since 1994. The couple has been blessed with two sons and reside in Tully Valley, south of Syracuse, NY.
 
'94 Son Van Do is one of 10 multilingual liaisons (MLL), in the Burlington, VT School District. He works closely with English Language Learner (ELL) teachers to help the city's non-English-speaking students and their families navigate American schools. They enable parents to participate in their children's education in the same way that native-born parents do. Approximately 500 students are enrolled in the Burlington ELL program and the school-based liaisons support the families of about 900 Burlington students. 

'97 ADCP Scott Bundy assumed the role of executive director of the Metropolitan Commission in August 2015. Scott has over 25 years of executive experience with expertise in critical infrastructure management, operations and project management, personnel management, and financial planning and budgeting. He has extensive experience working with various federal and state agencies as well as elected officials and other stakeholders. 


'98 Bethany (Ilsley) Jenkins has released her sophomore recording, Wholehearted Love. Following her debut CD, Pilgrimage (2012), come these ten tracks of wholehearted praise. A former Nyack College director of admissions, the Vermont native calls herself a "musicianary." Bethany relocated to Utah in 2007. She was instrumental in helping build a House of Prayer in Ogden, Utah, where she and her husband, Mike, and son, Talon, live now. To learn more about and sample Bethany's music visit www.jerichosongs.com.

'00 Laura (Zhang) Choi is married to Rev. Stephen Choi. The couple has been blessed with two sons and a daughter. Laura is a 2004 graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary and is currently serving at Stewartsville Presbyterian Church.
 

'01 Sarah (Lindberg) Malanowski has published six books, and has recently signed a contract for a new book series, Victorious Living Collection. To read more about Sarah and her publications, click here.
  
    
'04 ADCP Patrick G. Clare, New York Army National Guard Lt. Col., assumed command of the 427th Brigade Support Battalion at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base. He joined the Guard in 1994 as a soldier in the 1st Battalion, 108th Infantry in Auburn. Patrick is an Iraq war veteran and graduate of Army Command and General Staff College. He was awarded the Bronze Star, the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, and the Overseas Service Ribbon.
 
'03 ADCP, '06 MBA Linda Manzo retired after 35 years as a medical-surgical supervisor and a director of clinical practice in the ICU at St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital. She accepted a position with the Alzheimer's Association as program manager for the Adirondack Region, NY. She travels throughout Warren, Washington, Hamilton, and Essex counties providing Alzheimer's education and care consults to families and communities.
 
'04 Christoper Coakley is president of Grain of Hope 58:10, a non-profit ministry that "exists to break the cycle of poverty by feeding the hungry." It has grown from a youth group of 19 members to include youth groups from over 20 states. Grain of Hope is fully sustaining two villages in Burkina Faso, while providing food and drilling water wells, and building churches in multiple communities. To learn more about Grain of Hope, click here. 
 
'06 Jeffrey Hooker was ordained as an elder in the United Methodist Church in 2015.
 
'06 NC, '11 ATS Rebekah Siau works at the West Point Military Academy with Young Life and Military Community Youth Ministries.
 
 
'07 Marvin Nelson's book,  What Good is Jesus?, is scheduled for publication with Ambassador International on March 8, 2016. An Amazon.com reviewer says, "Pastor Marv Nelson doesn't avoid tough questions; instead, he tackles issues head-on with love and wisdom. Examining sexuality, politics, racial tensions, suffering, and more, Nelson addresses these problems through a relational rather than religious approach and shows us just what good Jesus really is."

'08 Anneke (Dyk) Brown has been on staff with Young Life since 2008, and currently serves as the YoungLives Divisional Coordinator. She oversees development, support, training, and camping for all YoungLives ministry within the division. Anneke was involved with Young Life in high school and college before leading a local chapter of YoungLives in Connecticut. She is committed to equipping and caring for leaders who are ministering to at-risk and under-served youth, specifically teen moms. Anneke is passionate about ensuring that teen moms are led and loved as well as every kid who participates in Young Life. She and her husband, Chase, have two sons, Liam and Logan.


'08 ADCP Corine Lombardo has advanced to a top enlisted rank in the New York Army National Guard, and was promoted to Sergeant Major by the Guard. She currently serves as the public affairs chief for the New York National Guard's Public Affairs Office. She has led public affairs teams and missions in Germany, Japan, Australia, Indonesia, Trinidad, Italy, and South Africa. Corine has been a full-time employee of the New York Army National Guard since 1986, specializing in media relations, environmental relations, and photo/broadcast journalism. She was inducted into the New York State Veterans Hall of Fame in 2012. Corine has earned a Bronze Star, a Meritorious Service Medal, an Army Commendation Medal, and an Army Achievement Medal. 

'10 Caitlin Kerr is embarking on a two-year missionary apprenticeship with the C&MA in Cambodia in January 2016.
 
'10 Brittany Kimlingen is youth program supervisor for school-age children and teens living in Laura's Home Women's Crisis Center in Cleveland, OH. 


'11 Chad Bullock, marketing and social change consultant, was the Nyack College nominee for the first ever Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) Young Alumni Award contest on Facebook, and made it to the second round of voting. Chad was recognized as Nyack's 2012 Young Alumnus of the Year. The Nyack alumnus interned at MTV and Nickelodeon and has been featured in segments on NBC News and "Positively Black." Currently, he is president of Forget Tobacco, the nation's largest youth-led anti-smoking campaign.

'11 Elisabeth Louie has been working as a full-time teacher for five years. She thanks Dr. Sherry Jarrett and the "awesome Early Childhood Education Department" for her success!


'11 Russell Stammer was named the interim pastor at the Ramapo Valley Baptist Church in Oakland, NJ, as the church goes through the search process for a new senior pastor. Russell serves as chaplain and firefighter for both the Oakland and Riverdale fire departments. He is a member of the Board of Directors in the Fellowship of Christian Firefighters International. He was licensed by the American Baptist Churches of New Jersey and is pursuing his ordination with the American Baptist Churches USA. Russell recently celebrated 20 years of employment with the corporate office of Toys "R" Us. 


'12 Chelsea Geyer, Nyack College Honors Program alumna, is one of seven individuals featured in "Engaging the World," a Christianity Today (CT) article that also appears in CT's Christian College Guide. While at Nyack, among her many activities, she interned with the College's Center for Scholarship and Global Engagement and also with the non-profit organization, Resolve, during a semester of study in the nation's capital.
 
Following graduation, she relocated to Washington and joined Resolve's staff. Today, Chelsea is the founder of her own non-profit, DC127. Named for its location and the scriptural exhortation to look after orphans and widows in their distress (James 1:27), the group coordinates the efforts of churches and local foster care agencies to support foster children and their families. To read more about Chelsea, click here.

'13 Joseph Joubert is married and working with a great camping ministry, Children's Bible Fellowship in Carmel, NY. 


'13 Ryan Walters created a six-minute film, Going Through the Motions, that quickly gained popularity and earned entry to various popular Christian events, including the Glory Reelz Christian Film Festival in Detroit, the Kingdomwood Christian Film Festival in Georgia, the Grace Film Festival in San Francisco, and the fourth annual UK Christian Film Festival in London. The film has a "Christian slant befitting his beliefs, but one that applies to anyone regardless of their faith," he says. In the film, Ryan says, "Though it's for a Christian audience as a wake-up call, I want someone not religious to see it and maybe look at his or her own life. It's a look at everyone's routine, what they cherish, what they put their hopes in." 
'14 Kelly Mobley is a NY State certified special education teacher.
 
'14 Jesse Williams is moving to Ireland in January 2016 to serve as a lead volunteer youth worker.
 
'15 Ray A. Coston established a faith-based ministry in NYC and is currently enrolled in Nyack's MBA program.
ENGAGEMENTS / WEDDINGS
Congratulations to the happy couples!

'09 Carla (Blanco) Valdovinos married '12 Kevin Valdovinos in 2014, and welcomed baby boy Joshua Elijah. 

'09 NC, '12 ATS Gina L. Rappa married Xavier A. Serrao on February 6, 2015. 

'12 Marlin (Nieves) Mejia
married Josue Mejia in April 2014. 
NEW ADDITIONS
Congratulations to the happy families!
'96 NC, '14 ATS Jennifer (Lecler) Fuentes and husband welcomed baby girl Analise Gabriella Fuentes on January 24, 2015.


'08 ATS Erin (Cook) Gonzalez and husband, Alvaro, welcomed baby girl Victoria Leena on July 30, 2015. She weighed 6 lbs, 7 oz.

'08 Luis F. Sánchez and wife,'09 Melissa (Mersereau) Sánchez, welcomed twin babies Noël Amelia Sanchez and Jael Louise Sanchez on May 15, 2015. Noël Amelia measured 19" long and weighed 6 lbs, 15 oz. Jael Louise measured 19" long and weighed 5 lbs, 15 oz. 

'11 John-Paul Ilarraza and wife,
'13 Tahira (Abdullah) Ilarraza, welcomed baby girl Zahira-Iris on June 15, 2015. Zahira-Iris weighed 6 lbs, 9 oz. 


'12 Cesar Alejandro Galindo and wife, '14 Mary-Lynn Kelly Galindo, welcomed baby boy Samuel Lucas Galindo on September 11, 2015. Samuel weighed 6 lbs, 2 oz. 

'12 Shaun and '12 Sheree (Penn) Jacobs-Patterson welcomed baby boy Liam Judah on August 12, 2015, who weighed 6 lbs, 10 oz. 


'15 AGSC Nichole Knott-Craig and husband, Craig, welcomed baby girl Hannah Carris on June 1, 2015. Hannah weighed 8 lbs, 9 oz.
HOMEGOINGS
Condolences to the family and friends of the following deceased alumni.

'41 Mildred C. (Corey) Milley went to be with Jesus on February 10, 2015 at the age of 96. During her college-age years as the U.S. was heading into war, Mildred traveled the country finding multiple employment opportunities. Eventually she settled in Lancaster where she worked for the Social Security office. There she met her husband, Richard Milley. The couple was married for over 30 years until his death in 1992. Mildred enjoyed and cared for all animals. She enjoyed raking leaves and reciting Shakespeare even into her 90's. 

'41 Samuel R. Watkins went home on December 4, 2015 where he was reunited with his dear wife, Mary Jane, who passed away in 2004. In 1942 he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was part of the Army Air Corp where he was a B-17 pilot. He worked for Huron Milling Company and Hercules Powder Company as a senior sales representative and retired in 1982. 


'42 Alice M. (Burnette) Boyes, 96, passed away on January 13, 2015. She and her husband, William, were missionaries in Ecuador for many years. She was a member of Cape Coral Alliance Church and attended First United Church of Madisonville for the past seven years.


'42 Donald A. Miller, 96, passed away on November 15, 2015. Rev. Miller pastored his entire life with a love of preaching and world missions. Much of his ministry was in C&MA churches in Massachusetts and New York. His last 22 years were spent at Hope Church in St. Louis.

'43 S. Winifred Jacobson passed into the presence of the Lord on January 1, 2015. 


'47 Donald L. Dixon, 93, went to be with his Lord and Savior on June 12, 2015. He married Wilda Genevieve (Isham '47) Dixon on August 23, 1947. She preceded him in death on September 1, 2014. Donald worked at the railroad roundhouse and also for the highway department, both in DuBois, PA. He was pastor of a C&MA church for several years, and later worked in Emporium, at North American Philips Co., retiring in 1982 after 35 years of employment.


'47 Mildred E. (McFarland) Peterson, 91, went home to be with the Lord on October 6, 2015. After earning her degree in Bible from Nyack, Mildred earned a bachelor's degree in education from Houghton College. Her teaching career spanned 28 years. Mildred was a long-time member of the First Alliance Church of Mansfield. 

'49 James L. Evans, 95, went to be with the Lord on August 14, 2015. He served in the Navy and was a veteran of World War II. Rev. Evans and his wife, Anna Jean (White), served as missionaries with the C&MA in India for 34 years. Following Anna Jean's passing, he visited his sister at The Alliance Home in Chapel Pointe where he met Dorothy Conley. The couple married in 1998 and shared 17 years of marriage. 

'49 David E. Rathjen, 92, passed away February 22, 2015. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard in New York City during World War II. In 1943, he married Katherine (VonDeLinde '47) Rathjen with whom he shared 71 happy years. David was ordained into the ministry in 1953 and was commissioned a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force that same year. He served thirty years around the world, retiring as Colonel. He served five years as Command Chaplain of the U.S. Air Force Communication Command, meeting the spiritual needs of military personnel in 500 communication sites in 27 countries. He earned the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, two Legions of Merit, two Meritorious Service Medals and an Air Force Commendation Medal. Following his retirement from the military, David served as associate pastor in several churches. 

'52 H. Thomas Lindsey, 87, passed away March 2, 2015. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps for two years, stationed at Cherry Point, NC. Rev. Lindsey served as a pastor with The Christian and Missionary Alliance for 40 years. He began his ministry in New Wilmington, PA, where he and his father built a new church building. He later built a new church facility in Spartansburg, PA. He retired in 1993 to Mahaffey Camp and Conference Center in the summers and Florida in the winters. 
'52 Mary G. (Ridgill) Taylor, 85, went home to be with the Lord on May 5, 2015. 

'53 Barbara J. (Burnette) Hontz, 82, passed away on February 05, 2015. She was a member of Cumming Baptist Church and a registered nurse who loved to care for children. She served as pianist and organist at Exeter Bible Church in Reading, PA for many years. She loved bowling, bird watching, and crafts in her spare time.
 
'53 Carolyn Jane Jenkins, 85, went home to be with the Lord on August 27, 2015. Following her graduation from Nyack, Carolyn served as a missionary with Beefhide Gospel Mission in Warbranch, KY and later at Mullen Bible Camp in Lake Lure, NC. She then moved to Pennsylvania and worked for Christian Publications Inc. for 10 years. 
 
'53 Audrey C. (Haake) Kline passed away on October 1, 2015 at the age of 85. Beloved wife of the late Pastor Richard H. Kline, Sr.; mother of Eunice L. (Christa) Kline, Dr. Richard H. (Valerie) Kline, Jr., Rebekah Kline Ruiz, Jonathan D. Kline; grandmother of Crispina, Danesa, Karina, Jennifer, Kathryn, and Rebekah; great-grandmother of Pearl and Zachary.
 
'53 Norma P. (Alger) Russell passed away on May 20, 2015 at the age of 84. Norma was the beloved wife of the late Harry Clifton Russell; loving mother of Harry Clifton Russell Jr., Jay T. Russell, Philip A. Russell, Alan S. Russell, and Kent D. Russell; devoted grandmother of Alex, Alaina, Nayla, Linda, and David Russell.


'53 J. Lee White, 88, joined his Lord and Savior and his beloved wife, Jo (Crawford '53) White, on October 11, 2015. He was saved in 1949, graduated from the Missionary Training Institute in 1953, and pastored churches from 1953 until his retirement in 1994. He served in various positions in the community as well as on the Baptist Association and state boards and committees. He was also a volunteer chaplain at Thomas Memorial and Putnam General Hospitals.     

'55 David E. Tarr passed away on July 3, 2015 at the age of 83.
 
'56 Edward H. Bedford passed away on August 10, 2015.


'56 Daniel Webster Evans, 83, went home to be with the Lord on September 11, 2015. He and his wife, Loretta K. (Kozy) Evans, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on June 4, 2015. Rev. Evans served the Lord and congregations in five churches in Oregon, Maine, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. Locally, he served Schantz Road Community Church, Allentown, PA from 1976 until 1993. He retired in 1996 from Grace Alliance Church, Buzzards Bay, MA, having served congregations for 40 years. 


'56 Raymond Marshall Vincent, Jr., 83, passed into the presence of the Lord on October 29, 2015. He was a retired pastor, who served churches in New York and Pennsylvania before coming to Ohio and serving four churches in the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church. He retired in 1999 after 45 years in ministry. While retired, he wrote four books, combining his interests in storytelling, history, and genealogy. 


'61 Norman L. Emery, passed away on April 11, 2015 at the age of 77. He was the loving husband of Kay (Kieffer NC '60/ATS '62) Emery for 55 years. Norman was a missionary for a total of 37 years, starting with The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Ecuador and then with HCJB World Radio Missionary Fellowship, Inc. also in Ecuador. He served as an associate pastor at Calvary Church of Souderton where he and his wife were members since 1968. Upon retiring, he was the interim pastor for Calvary Baptist Church in Reading, PA and later for Locust Valley Chapel in Coopersburg, PA. Norman then worked as an interpreter for Language Services Associates of Willow Grove, PA. He enjoyed volunteering his time at Doylestown Hospital with the Ann Silverman Free Clinic as an interpreter. 

'65 Thomas Hartloff
passed away on June 27, 2015 at the age of 71. Tom was the sports page designer for The Journal News from 1966 until 2008. He was responsible for the layout of every page in the sports section and wrote most of the headlines in the sports section for many years. He authored the "College Report," which provided updates on local athletes from Rockland County who were competing at colleges around the nation, and kept records for Rockland County high school sports. He and his wife, June (Martin '65) Hartloff, celebrated 50 years of marriage. 


'66 Albert Wayne Anderson, 74, died peacefully in his sleep on July 23, 2015. After graduating from Nyack, Albert earned a master's degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. He loved the publishing world, and worked for John Wiley & Sons for over 20 years. He loved watching baseball and was an assistant coach in the minor leagues of Hightstown-East Windsor Youth Baseball League for eight years. 
'67 Mark H. Schipul, 71, passed away on August 16, 2015. Rev. Schipul earned a bachelor's degree from Nyack and master's degree in religious education from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He served in five churches in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and California over a period of 36 years, and retired after serving at Bethany Baptist Church of Montclair, NJ. 


'69 Sharon (Gray) McDuffie, 67, passed away on June 16, 2015. Sharon enjoyed 26 years of working for Vancouver, Battle Ground, and Evergreen school districts, where she loved her work with preschoolers. She was an accomplished quilter, chef, editor, and gardener. 


'72 Mary Ellen (Smith) Weiler went to be with the Lord on January 26, 2015 at the age of 65. A devoted Christian, she was considered a "prayer warrior" to many who knew her. She was best known for her encouraging words and her warm smile. She loved reading the Bible and writing in her journal every night. 

'74 Doris I. Zehner, 85, passed into the presence of the Lord on November 2, 2015. She worked as an elementary teacher in Kentucky, Ohio, as a part-time secretary at Roberts Wesleyan College, and a dining room hostess. Doris was a member of the C&MA Church, Jamestown where she was active in the choir and while at Gates Christian and Missionary Alliance Church, Doris served as a deaconess for many years. She and her husband, Roy, celebrated 60 years of marriage.  

'75 Linea L. (Herritt ) McIntire, 62, passed away February 26, 2015. She graduated from Nyack College with a degree in Christian education. She and her husband, David A. McIntire, were members of the Harrison Valley Christian and Missionary Alliance Church.
 
'80 Stephanie C. (Margosian) Welty, 56, passed away on July 25, 2015. Stephanie and her husband, James F. Welty ('80), lived in Southbury, CT at the time of her passing.

 '92 Gary E. Wissinger, went to be with the Lord July 20, 2015 at the age of 68. He was employed as a computer programmer at Galliker's Dairy and Nyack College (1987 until 1998) and retired from Eastern University after 16 years of service as manager of student services. He was a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church, Richland Township, and Calvary Bible Church, Phoenixville, PA. He enjoyed spending time fishing with his brothers, performing in the West Chester Community Choral Group, singing with the worship team at his church, playing basketball, and rooting for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

'94 ATS John E. Winckler, 64, passed away on October 19, 2015. John served pastorates in Pennsylvania. He served as a medical chaplain at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, PA, and most recently as a chaplain for SpiriTrust Lutheran Homecare and Hospice in Chambersburg, PA. John was a member of The Christian and Missionary Alliance Church of Chambersburg. He enjoyed his granddaughters, gardening, photography, and rock collecting.


'04 ADCP, MBA '12 Viviana Ruscitto, 43, passed away on September 3, 2015. Viviana began her career in radiology, then earned a bachelor's and a master's degree from Nyack College. Viviana earned the credential of radiologic technologist and certified radiology administrator and became Director of Diagnostic Imaging at WESTMED Medical Group. She was an active member of American Healthcare Radiology Administrators (AHRA): The Association for Medical Imaging Management and was on the board and a founding member of the AHRA Northeast Group. Most recently, Viviana also became a published radiology author. However, Viviana's greatest and proudest accomplishment was becoming the mother of two-year-old son Maximo and the loving wife of Nicholas Roche.




UPCOMING ADMISSIONS EVENTS
Rockland Campus
Nyack Campus 2016/2017 Visit Days
  • Oct. 10
  • Nov. 13-14
  • Feb. 13
  • March 19-20
  • April 10
*Prospective students must be 16 years or older to stay overnight in the dorms. There is a $25 registration fee to attend. For more information, call 800.336.9225 or click here.

Personalized Campus Visit
Schedule a day at your convenience to have a campus tour, attend chapel, and meet with your Admissions Counselor. During the school year (Sept-Apr), Personalized Campus Visits are usually held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays beginning at 9:45 a.m. so your visit can include attending our chapel service at 10 a.m. If you would like to set up a personal visit on a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday, please call the Admissions Office at 1.800.33.NYACK to arrange your visit. To register, click here.
UPCOMING ADMISSIONS EVENTS
Manhattan Campus
Join other prospective students to learn more about our education, music, business, ministry and liberal arts majors. We'll give an overview of the application process and discuss financial aid opportunities. For more information, call 877.626.2236.
 
Open House for Undergraduate, Adult, and Graduate Programs 
The following open houses will be held at 2 Washington Street, New York, NY at 6:00 p.m.
  • Feb.17
  • March 30
  • April 20
  • May 18
  • June 15
  • July 20
To register, click here.

Personalized Campus Visit
Schedule a day at your convenience to check out classes, tour the campus, and get important financial aid and admissions information. Personalized Campus Visits are held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays beginning at 10 a.m. To register, click here.
 
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