IWU Alumni Honored at Homecoming Banquet

Seven Indiana Wesleyan University alumni received awards October 5 at the Homecoming 2007 Alumni Banquet in the IWU Student Center. Five of the recipients earned their degrees through traditional programs, and two are graduates of Adult and Professional Studies programs.

Dr. Brian Simmons, Vice President for University Advancement, presented awards to:

Joe and Phyllis Russell, Alumni Meritorious Service Award. Joe Russell received a B.S. degree in secondary education from Marion College in 1959. He later earned an M.A. degree in social work from Indiana University and retired in 1993 after 31 years in medical and mental health social work at the Marion VA Medical Center. Phyllis Russell graduated from Marion College in 1961 with a B.S. degree in elementary education. She is retired after 25 years of teaching in the Marion Community Schools. Both have served IWU as volunteers for many years.

Kevin Myers, Distinguished Young Alumnus. Rev. Myers received his B.A. degree in Christian Ministries from IWU in 1982 and later attended Calvin Theological Seminary. He was ordained in The Wesleyan Church in 1984 and now is the senior pastor of the Crossroads Wesleyan Church, a rapidly growing church in Lawrenceville, Ga. About 4,000 people attend weekly services at the church, which is in the metropolitan Atlanta area. Rev. Myers spoke at the Homecoming 2007 chapel service.

Dr. Jim "Umfundisi" Lo, Distinguished Young Alumnus. Dr. Lo earned a B.A. degree in religion in 1978 from Bartlesville Wesleyan College but also has three graduate degrees - including an M.A. in Ministerial Education from IWU. Dr. Lo is a former Wesleyan missionary in South Africa and Cambodia. He now is a Professor of Religion at IWU, where students have repeatedly named him Professor of the Year. Dr. Lo spoke at the President's Prayer Breakfast at Homecoming 2007.

Dr. James Blackburn, Distinguished Senior Alumnus. Dr. Blackburn is a former administrator at IWU and a former missionary to Haiti. In recent years, he has worked for the American Bible Society. Dr. Blackburn's first wife, the late Dr. Della Blackburn, was the Chair of the IWU Division of Nursing and a memorial scholarship has been established in her name. Dr. Blackburn's current wife, Martha, is General Director of Wesleyan Women, and their four children all are IWU graduates.

Dr. Sharon Drury, Outstanding Alumni Award, Adult and Professional Studies. Dr. Drury earned her bachelor's degree in 1987 through IWU's first Adult and Professional Studies class. She later earned a master's degree through the APS program and received her doctorate in organizational leadership in 2004 from Regent University in Virginia. Dr. Drury is a former Dean of the College of Adult and Professional Studies and now teaches full-time in IWU's first doctoral program in organizational leadership. Her husband, Dr. Keith Drury, is an Associate Professor of Religion at IWU.

David Callecod, Distinguished Young Alumnus, Adult and Professional Studies. Mr. Callecod, who earned his Master of Business Administration degree from IWU in 1994, currently is the President and CEO of Marion (Indiana) General Hospital. Before coming to Marion, he was the CEO of hospitals in two other Indiana cities and a hospital in Arkansas. He is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Mr. Callecod is a member of two IWU advisory boards, the President's Advisory Council for Excellence (PACE) and the Citizens' Advisory Council.