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Now that summer has begun and classes are out, our offices in the Empire State Building are a bit quieter than usual. Students and faculty, however, continue to carry out the mission of the college during the summer months. Groups have set out for Turkey, China, Uganda, and Paris to engage in the marketplace of ideas as part of our International Ventures program. Others who have remained stateside are taking summer internships and jobs at think tanks, music halls, and publishing houses.
Meanwhile, President D’Souza and the Advancement team are working hard to prepare for the major events of the 2011-2012 year at King’s. The fall semester will kick off with a special weekend combining Parent’s Weekend and Homecoming. I’m very excited because hosting both events on the same weekend will provide parents, alumni, and students a unique opportunity to build a tighter King’s community.
Just a few weeks later on October 12th, President D’Souza and David Silverman, President of American Atheists, will engage in spirited debate at the University of Pennsylvania. The topic of the debate—“Is Christianity Good for America?”—is sure to produce controversy and drive those attending to ask important questions.
Next year will bring great developments for the college. Please enjoy reading about them in this edition of Alumni News and Events.
 All my best,
Jamey Nordby
Vice President of Advancement
Students Venture to Turkey
.jpg "facesinterior (19).jpg") For the second time in as many years, students of The King’s College spent three weeks traveling around the world to several cities in Turkey. The trip is just one in a larger program at King’s called International Ventures, which sends students around the world to engage in the competitive marketplace of ideas.
On May 15th, the team of 11 students departed John F. Kennedy Airport accompanied by Brian Brenberg, assistant professor of economics, and two alumni. A nine-hour flight took them to their first stop: Istanbul.
The trip lasted three weeks and pushed students physically, mentally, and emotionally. Students spent their time investigating the awe-inspiring architecture of Istanbul, experiencing Turkish culture, and forming relationships with students at Bogazici University (the Turkish equivalent of Harvard). King’s senior Stephanie Brewster couldn’t point to any single part of the trip as her favorite, but said, “My favorite experiences were with the people we met in Turkey. Whether it was spending time with the Bilkent University students at a nice dinner near Ankara Castle, in Gençlik Park near our hotel, or being invited to Abdullah's house for a home-cooked meal with his family, it was the people who made this trip special for me.”
King’s students on the Venture also had an opportunity to interact with public officials, academics, and other students. Professor Brenberg said, “I was incredibly impressed by our students. On unfamiliar college campuses they sought out relationships with Turkish students. In meetings with academics, businessmen, and political figures they presented ideas with poise and humility.”
King’s senior Josiah Peterson explained the significance of the Turkey venture saying, “King's seeks to influence ‘strategic institutions,’ and they don't make them much more strategic than Turkey. Turkey is the gateway between the East and the West, a functioning secular Islamic democracy, and a growing economic powerhouse. Each International Venture gets King's students access to the academics, businessmen, politicians, and current and future leaders of this emerging country.”
International Ventures are central to the vision of The King’s College. Professor Brenberg said that the Ventures are important because “as a college, we want to prepare students to take ideas into influential environments. The Turkey Venture, along with the East Africa, Paris, and China Ventures, represents the international extension of our vision. And in the case of Turkey, we're seeing the vision become reality as students exchange ideas with present and future leaders.”
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King’s Announces the Promotion of Eric Bennett and David Leedy
  The King’s College is pleased to announce the promotion of two members of our Student Development team. Eric Bennett, formerly the Dean of Students at The King’s College, is now Vice President of Student Development. David Leedy, formerly the Associate Dean of Students is replacing Eric as the new Dean of Students.
Eric Bennett served as Dean of Students for 6 years. While in the role, he displayed an incredible commitment to encouraging vibrant student life at King’s, both from an institutional standpoint and in one-on-one meetings with students. President D’Souza remarked that, “Eric has done an outstanding job of overseeing the development of students at King’s and been instrumental in building our student development department. He also started the athletics program at King’s, created the King’s Council, and helped to launch many current student organizations.” In his new role, Bennett will continue to give leadership to the Student Development department and will spend more time on strategic planning and research.
David Leedy will step into the role of Dean of Students. As Assistant Dean of Students, Leedy worked hard to encourage teamwork within Student Development, counseled students, helped to ensure a thriving spiritual life on campus, and served as faculty advisor to the House of Winston Churchill. On Leedy’s promotion, Bennett said, “In over twenty-three years of work in the field of education, I have known other professionals with talent equivalent to David’s, yet many of them lacked his abiding commitment to Jesus and his relentless integrity. He is, without a doubt, one of the most remarkable men with whom I have had the privilege to work.” Indeed, the King’s community can expect great progress from Eric and David as they step into their new roles.
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Parents, Alumni, and Students Together at Last!
The King’s College is excited to announce that for the first time ever, we will be hosting our annual Homecoming and Parents’ Weekend festivities on the same weekend. Mark your calendar now for September 30-October 2, and join parents and alumni who are excited to see what God is doing at The King’s College.
“Homecoming is a weekend I highlight on my calendar every year,” said Rick Millham (1990), President of the Alumni Association. “It’s a time to relive memories of the great experiences I had at King’s. I see old friends, and we get to fellowship with the current students and experience all the excitement of college life first-hand through them. If you have not come to Homecoming, make the effort. I am confident you will be marking it on your calendar next year as well!”
Susan Humphries, a parent of a King’s alumna said, “Getting a feel for the day to day life of our student—walking where she walks every day, interacting with her peers, hanging out in the student lounge, meeting her housemates, just seeing her “world” was so enlightening and comforting to us!” She also raved about “sitting in on a ‘real’ King’s classroom experience. The professors were so engaging and knowledgeable—we didn’t want to leave the classroom!”
Highlights of the weekend will include a parent welcome reception, the annual alumni student soccer game, faculty lectures, and a breakfast for parents, students, and alumni. On Saturday, we will announce our Homecoming King and Queen at the alumni-student soccer game, and we will cap off the weekend with time for parents to spend time with their students while alumni dine with the Alumni Executive Committee.
“I’m very excited. Hosting both events on the same weekend will provide parents, alumni, and students a unique opportunity to build a tighter King’s community,” said Jamey Nordby, Vice President of Advancement. “Everyone here is so passionate about our mission that it makes sense to bring all this excitement together for one weekend of celebration.”
We will be frequently updating information regarding Homecoming, so check out our website regularly: http://www.tkc.edu/alumni/homecoming. There, you will find updates to the schedule, recommendations for hotels and restaurants (including information about discounts and special offers), and a form for registration. If you have any questions, please email us at parents@tkc.edu/alumni@tkc.edu.
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As always, do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or comments atalumni@tkc.edu
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