Students

Lincoln, Neb.—Students in Union College’s international rescue and
relief (IRR) program are taught to expect the unexpected. For 32 IRR
students and staff, the unexpected conclusion to their semester of study
in Venezuela included a week in protective custody while confusion
created by questions from the Venezuelan government about the group’s
documentation was explored. Following clearance by Venezuelan officials
on Friday, April 6, Union College welcomed the group in Miami on Tuesday
morning, April 10 at 1:15 a.m.

“We are grateful and relieved that our students are safely back in the
United States,” said David Smith, Union College president. “Our highest
priority, whether on campus or with traveling groups, is always the
safety and wellbeing of our students. While there is much that can be
learned from this situation, the most meaningful lesson for me has been
the resilience and positive spirit of our students and staff while they
waited patiently for the situation to be resolved.”

On Feb. 8, the group of 21 students, seven staff and four staff
children, arrived in the village of Maurak, Venezuela, for 10 weeks of
training and service. From this site in the southeastern corner of the
country, small groups of students, each led by a physician and in most
cases also a registered nurse, traveled by plane, jeep, canoe or on foot
to remote villages to provide medical services for two to three days.
The groups then returned to Maurak for debriefing and continued study.

During the first half of the semester in Venezuela, IRR students were
involved with more than 600 humanitarian contacts under a physician’s
supervision. In addition to tropical medical experience, IRR students
were engaged in coursework through lectures and demonstrations. Mid-way
through the trip, however, Venezuelan government officials questioned
the validity of the group’s permissions and paperwork pertaining to
licensing of the two physicians in the group and accusations of using
expired medications. Most of the medications in question were left at
the mission campus by previous service groups.

“We do not know exactly who or what triggered the concern over our
status in the country after several weeks of service,” Smith said. “The
goal of the international rescue and relief program is to train
professionals who can relieve suffering through emergency service and
caring for those in need. We in no way wish to interfere with government
policies or provide help in a way that is not welcome.”

Smith says that while launching the IRR program during the three years
leading up to this year’s trip, Union College representatives completed
all paperwork and obtained permissions they understood that were as
necessary and customary for the semester abroad.

Despite the unexpected confusion over documents, Michael Duehrssen, IRR
program director and board-certified physician, said they maintained a
positive relationship with the local village. “The people of Maurak and
the remote villages where we served were extremely supportive and
grateful for our work,” he said. “The questions about our credentials
came from officials beyond the local region.”

After it became clear that confusion with the documents could not be
easily solved, the Union College group agreed to voluntarily leave the
country. However, even after this decision, more delays for clearance
and the Easter holiday weekend prolonged travel arrangements.

“We are proud of our students and their positive approach to this
disruption in their semester,” said Linda Becker, vice president for
Student Services who along with Jeff Joiner, chair of the Division of
Health Sciences, met the IRR group at the Miami airport. “From what the
IRR students have told us, even though they were not free to come and go
for a few days as they might have wished, they were treated well and
even shared meals with the guards who posted at the mission campus the
last week. Other than having to find creative ways to overcome cabin
fever, the group had the food and supplies they needed.”

Alicia Archer, Union College student from Colorado agrees with Becker.
“We were all very calm—very chill—with no extreme emotions,” she said
Tuesday morning on the phone from Miami. “After this trip, I am even
more proud and passionate about the IRR program than before. I have
rediscovered my goals and vision for my life on this trip.” Archer plans
to combine her IRR major with a degree in nursing and serve abroad
again.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What was the purpose of the trip to Venezuela?

In the junior or senior year of the international rescue and relief
(IRR) program, students complete 10 weeks of training in tropical
medicine, preventative health care and humanitarian relief in a remote
setting.

Who was involved in the trip?

The group of 32 from Union College worked with local health care
professionals, translators and volunteers. Most of the students are
juniors and seniors and all have completed Emergency Medical Technician
(EMT) basic certification.

Where in Venezuela was the IRR group located?

The Union College group was in the state of Bolivar on an existing
mission campus near the village of Maurak, which is about 15 miles from
the Brazilian border in the southeastern corner of Venezuela. The
closest Venezuelan town on a detailed map is Santa Elena.

What type of training and service is involved in the semester abroad?

While in Venezuela, IRR students learned through a combination of
lecture and hands-on training. The students were separated into small
groups, each led by a physician and in most cases, also a registered
nurse and a local health care provider. During the week, the groups
traveled by plane, jeep, canoe or on foot to remote villages to provide
medical services for two to three days and then returned to Maurak for
debriefing and continued study.

Why were Venezuela and the village of Maurak chosen as the training
site?

The program director, Dr. Michael Duehrssen, had previous contacts in
the region including flight support through a group that has been
established in the area for several years. This is the fourth annual
service trip Duehrssen has made to the area which has allowed him to
establish relationships with the local village captains and medical
personnel in the region. In spring 2006, administrators from Union
College also visited and met with local and regional officials. The
village of Maurak extended an invitation and made land available for
Union College to use for the semester of training. The rural setting
provided access to rivers and mountains that were also ideal for jungle
survival training and recreation. In addition, program leaders wanted
students immersed in the Spanish language, which IRR majors are required
to study and will likely be needed in future service settings.

What documentation did Union College pursue prior to arriving in
Venezuela?

Union College had signed letters of agreement with a local hospital and
health officials, the governor of the State of Bolivar, the Civil
Protection department for the State of Bolivar and had a letter of
invitation from a recognized relief organization in the region. The
group had the customary approvals by state and local authorities and
when they asked about additional documentation, they were told that no
further approval was needed. Also, because Duehrssen had traveled and
served successfully with other groups using the same level of
permissions with no concern, Union College leaders thought they had
covered the documentation requirements.

What was the nature of the confusion with the government?

During the three years leading up to this year’s trip, Union College
representatives completed all paperwork and obtained permissions they
understood as necessary for the semester abroad. However, in the second
half of the 10-week trip, Venezuelan officials questioned the group’s
authority to practice medicine while in the country and the
appropriateness of their tourist visas for the work they were doing. In
addition, there were questions about expired medications that were found
on the site of the mission campus, even though most of these medications
were left in storage by previous groups. Union College does not know how
the government initially became concerned about the group’s purpose and
permissions.

What was the status of the group once questions were raised by the
Venezuelan government?

For about a week, the group was restricted to the grounds of the mission
campus and a nearby hill/mountain for recreation. Officials described
the term as “protective custody.” During the day, three guards were on
duty at the entrance to the campus. Students and staff were never
threatened with violence or harmed. In fact, the students befriended the
guards who often ate meals with the group and participated in worships.

What is the setting of the mission campus?

The mission campus where the international rescue and relief group was
housed is about the size of one-and-a-half football fields. The
grass-covered grounds include three block buildings (residence
facilities and a main multi-purpose dining and meeting building) with
more construction in process.

What did the students learn while in Venezuela?

Union College’s international rescue and relief group was in Venezuela
for more than a month before questions were posed by the government
about their documentation and purpose. During these weeks, the group was
involved with more than 600 humanitarian contacts under a doctor’s
supervision including assisting with wound care, treating abscesses and
parasites, testing for malaria, improving unclean water systems,
administering child health assessments and presenting preventative
health education lectures. In addition to tropical medical experience,
IRR students were engaged in coursework through lectures and
demonstrations. Some of the most valuable lessons for the group this
year also include understanding diplomacy, contingency planning and
developing patience in the midst of unfamiliar circumstances.

What is the future of the IRR program, particularly the semester
abroad?

With more than 100 students enrolled in this unique academic discipline,
Union College is committed to the future of the international rescue and
relief program. During the launch of the program over the last three
years, Union College has received invitations from potential sites in
multiple countries. In the weeks ahead, Union College administrators
will continue to refine the process and criteria for locations best
suited for the semester of international study and service. While local
officials in Maurak have said they would welcome the group’s return,
details of this arrangement or other site possibilities will need to be
explored in depth.

ABOUT US

The international rescue and relief major at Union College is the
only undergraduate program of its kind in the United States. This
interdisciplinary major combines the study of health, logistics, search
and rescue through seven emphasis options. The major, launched in 2004
with 32 students, now has more than 100 students enrolled.

The multi-track curriculum combines rescue and survival skills,
emergency care, humanitarian relief, public health, disaster management
and multi-cultural service training. Certifications include EMT basic
and white water and high angle rescue among others. In order to prepare
students for diverse environments and foster a global perspective,
courses are taught in Colorado, Florida and a developing country in
addition to the main campus in Lincoln, Neb.

This major is designed to equip graduates with specialized skills to
serve in a world facing increasing natural and man-made disasters and
growing refugee populations. More info available at www.ucollege.edu/irr.

Union College, located in Lincoln, Nebraska, is an accredited,
comprehensive institution of higher education offering bachelor’s
degrees in more than 50 majors and a Master of Physician Assistant
Studies. Established in 1891 by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Union
enrolls close to 1,000 students from 46 states and 30 countries with a
variety of faith backgrounds. Union College offers active learning in a
vibrant Christian atmosphere where students are empowered to lead. With
a focus on undergraduate education, Union’s nurturing environment offers
students a safe place to grow and prepare for careers of service and
leadership. www.ucollege.edu

Junior and Senior business and computer students from Union College will
visit a number of companies across Lincoln for the third Division Field
Day, Feb. 21. About 70 students will spend four hours around the city
shadowing professionals in their respective fields.

The field day will showcase the professional lives of employees at about
20 sites across Lincoln, including Thompson Realty, the minnow PROJECT,
the City of Lincoln, Douglas Theatres, and Talent+. The sites chosen
emphasize an area the students are studying, including computers,
finance, marketing, accounting and management.

“Last year I went to the Nebraska Heart Hospital and shadowed the
network manger. He showed me their facilities, and shared some of his
work experiences,” said Thang Nguyen, a senior computer information
systems major. “I’m glad that the division is doing it again.”

The project is completely student led, with officers of the Business and
Computer Club taking on the responsibility. They have spent more than a
month working with companies to secure locations for students to visit.

“I was amazed at how many businesses wanted to help,” said senior Andrew
Whitlock, president of the Business and Computer Club. “Many of them
were even more excited when they heard it was Union College.”

“This is another great example of what student leadership can
accomplish,” said Barry Forbes, associate professor of business.

Additional information about the Division of Business and Computer
Science can be found online at http://bcs.ucollege.edu,
or by calling 402.486.2521.

International rescue and relief students from Union College in Lincoln,
Neb., thought they had seen the worst winter rain storms Florida had to
offer during two weeks of ocean survival and dive rescue training. But
on Friday, Feb. 2, news of pre-dawn tornadoes a few hundred miles north
of their training posts in the Florida Keys prompted 19 Union College
students and staff members to find a way to help.

In cooperation with ACTS (Active Community Team Services), a
faith-based, volunteer disaster response team, the group exchanged a
rest-filled weekend for an all-night drive to put their humanitarian
relief training into action. The group arrived in Lady Lake, Fla., at 3
a.m. Saturday morning (Feb. 3) and were volunteering by 6 a.m. They
assisted with the setup of ACTS’s circus-sized tent near the destroyed
Lady Lake Church of God.

“The rescue and recovery teams had completed most of their work by the
time we could get to the disaster site,” said Michael Duerhssen,
co-director of Union’s international rescue and relief program. “The
priority for our group was helping ACTS prepare and distribute meals,
water and personal care items to the people in the greatest need
following the storm.”

The distribution site near the church was a hub of media activity over
the weekend including visits from Florida’s governor Charlie Crist and
the director of FEMA. While volunteering, Union students were shadowed
by local and national news crews covering the aftermath of the storm.

In addition to helping at the ACTS tent site, a team of Union College
students drove a cargo truck through the devastated area to distribute
goods—food, water, diapers, blankets, medical supplies—to people unable
to get to shelters or afraid to leave what little they had left
unsecured.

“We had many opportunities to pray with the people we were assisting,”
Duehrssen said. “We praise God that we were in the right place at the
right time to be able to help even if it was only for two days.”

On Monday (Feb. 5), the rescuers-in-training returned to South Florida
to prepare for their next service and education adventure. On Wednesday
(Feb. 7), 21 Union College students and three staff will fly to
Venezuela for 10 weeks of training in tropical medicine, preventative
health care and humanitarian relief in remote villages.

Union’s international rescue and relief major is the only four-year
program of its kind in the United States. With an emphasis on hands-on
learning, the Bachelor of Science curriculum combines rescue and
survival skills, emergency medical care, humanitarian relief, public
health, disaster management and multicultural training.

To learn more about Union College’s international rescue and relief
program, visit www.ucollege.edu/irr
or call 402.486.2980. To read more coverage about Union College students
assisting in Florida, view these publications online: Ocala
Star-Banner
and the Lincoln
Journal Star.

Union College Drama will perform the two-act play The Boys Next Door,
opening Feb. 22, 2007.

Written by Tom Griffin, the play follows the ups and downs of four young
men, each in his own way challenged by mental illness. Living in a
neighborhood group home, the four interact with each other, with their
somewhat overwhelmed social worker and with the “normal” world that
surrounds them. As we witness the mishaps and triumphs of their everyday
living—poignant, aggravating, joyous and often funny—we are able to see
past each peculiar exterior to the human being within.

The play will be directed by Anthony Gilmore, a 2002 graduate of Union
College who has directed several theatrical productions at Union
including The Miracle Worker in 2004.

The Boys Next Door will be performed in Woods Auditorium on the campus
of Union College, 3800 South 48th Street. Enter the campus from Bancroft
Ave. Parking is free. Admission for the play is $8 for adults and $5 for
students and senior citizens. Performances times are as follows:

Tickets can be purchased at the door. For information on purchasing
tickets in advance, call 402-486-2523. Click
here to read what the Lincoln Journal-Star had to say about The
Boys Next Door.

The quiet stillness of a snow-blanketed campus burst to life as 954 new
and returning students began spring semester at Union College on Jan. 9,
2007. This is a decrease from 982 during the fall semester.

“It’s not uncommon for enrollment headcount to drop slightly between
fall and spring semesters,” said Rob Weaver, vice president for
Enrollment and Student Financial Services. “The spring headcount of 954
students is an excellent enrollment for Union, and exceeds spring
headcounts for the last 23 years.”

Though headcount is important, the key indicator of Union’s financial
stability is full time equivalence (FTE). With an FTE of 886.1 students,
the college remained well above the budgeted FTE of 875, leaving a
comfortable surplus for investment in the future. Not since 1982 has a
spring semester begun with this high an FTE.

“The college continues to be blessed with high enrollment,” said Weaver.
“We are praising God for the opportunities each student presents.”

Nineteen students finished their degree program in December and joined
the ranks of Union alumni. They are invited to march in the commencement
ceremony on May 13, 2007.

Union College will not have classes Monday, Jan. 15 in memory of Martin
Luther King, Jr. Union's Multicultural Committee encourages students,
employees and the community to have "a day on, not just a day off."

Celebrations around the city will include a
youth rally at 8:45 a.m. and a
presentation by Jane Elliot, an internationally known teacher and
diversity educator, at 2 p.m. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln will
host both of these events. Click here
for information about other events remembering Dr. King this week at UN-L.

"There are many celebrations throughout the city on Monday morning and
Monday evening," says Joann Herrington, Union College education
professor and member of the Multicultural Committee. "If you can't
attend those events, please find a way to give your time and service in
some way as a means of making Lincoln a better and more peaceful place."

At Union, chapel on Tuesday will focus on the life of Dr. King. Deah
Harriott of Allon Chapel Seventh-day Adventist Church will lead the
praise team in song and Pastor Marlon Perkins of the Philedelphia
Seventh-day Adventist Church in Des Moines, Iowa will speak at 10:30
a.m. in the College View Church.

On Thursday, Chris Blake and Oscar Harriott will moderate a "Lunch and
Learn" discussion from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the Presidential Dining Hall
of Union Market located in the Ortner Center. Anyone interested in
participating may join for this lunch-time forum. Meals will be
available for purchase in Union Market.

Union College Festival of Lessons and Carols
The first concert
will begin Friday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m. and will feature the Unionaires,
Union College Vocal Octet and Chamber Chorale. Diverse selections from
the carols and anthems of John Rutter will be interspersed with Biblical
texts from the four Gospels telling the the age-old story of Christ's
birth. Everyone is welcome at this free concert in the College View
Seventh-day Adventist Church (4801 Prescott Ave).

Union College Wind Symphony
Come out to the Union College
gymnasium for a free Christmas band concert, Sat., Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m.
To find the gymnasium, enter the campus from Prescott Ave.

For more information about either concert, call 402.486.2553.

LINCOLN—Opening more sections of freshman courses, finding creative
solutions for student housing, having about 100 more students volunteer
to serve the community than in previous years: these are the sorts of
problems Union College administrators and student leaders rejoice in.
Union College’s enrollment is the highest it has been since 1983. The
total student body grew to 982 with a full-time equivalence of 927.8, up
from 930 students and 863.3 FTE last fall. The number of first-time
freshmen this year is 194 compared to 177 in fall 2005.

“The national trend in enrollment growth has been an increase of
non-traditional students,” said Malcolm Russell, vice president for
Academic Administration. “However, our growth has been among traditional
students, ages 18-22. Young people across the country and literally
around the world appreciate the values that Union stands for: small
classes, teachers who know their names and academic advisors who care
about a student’s progress in life, not just meeting graduation
requirements.”

Union’s campus has become a home-away-from home for a diverse group of
students from 46 states and 30 countries. Four out of five Union
students are from outside of Nebraska, and about nine percent of the
student body came from outside of the United States. That’s a higher
percentage of non-resident students than any other college in the state.

The increased enrollment coincides with the implementation of more
stringent admissions standards. All regularly admitted students must now
have a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 and an ACT score of 18.
While these are not as high as elite universities, they are higher than
most of the schools pulling from the same demographic of high school
graduates as Union College. “Attracting 352 new students to our campus
and raising our admissions standards in the same year is really
exciting,” said Rob Weaver, vice president for Enrollment and Student
Financial Services.

Academic areas that experienced the most growth were in the Division of
Health Sciences and the Division of Human Development. According to
Weaver, 49 new students declared an international rescue and relief
major, the only bachelor’s program of its kind in the United States. Of
the more traditional fields, psychology experienced the greatest
percentage of growth, with 18 new students opting for that major
compared to four new psychology majors last year. Growth in the health
sciences will continue in the spring as well; the nursing program will
double enrollment as the department begins admitting students at the
beginning of both semesters, rather than solely in the fall.

“Union’s climb in enrollment is one of many indicators that the campus
is blessed with the momentum of progress,” said David Smith, Union
College president. “Enrollment growth is energizing all areas of campus,
and I am grateful for the efforts of the many people who made this
possible.”

“Can we come back sometime and do more?” asked Matthew Johnson, senior
chemistry major at Union College while repainting a group home.
Questions like Johnson's echoed across the city as over 900 volunteers
at more than 50 agencies celebrated the 25th anniversary of Project
Impact, Union College's annual community service day. The spirit of
volunteerism that has made the event a success since 1981 continues
throughout the year. Students who want to do more build upon a legacy of
community involvement.

Project Impact primarily serves those who serve the needs of the Lincoln
community by doing the odd jobs that non-profit organizations don't have
the man power to keep up with. “We wouldn't have this many working on a
huge project like that without Project Impact's help,” said Renee Cohen,
volunteer relations coordinator at Goodwill, where students sorted piles
of clothing donated to the organization.

Partner sites included caring for the feet of the homeless at the Matt
Talbot Soup Kitchen, distributing fliers and posters for the Alzheimer's
Association and reading to children at public libraries. Most sites have
less contact with the end recipients of the services. Students and
faculty cleaned, sorted, pulled weeds, mulched flower beds and did
clerical work behind the scenes. These aren't the sort of activities
that give volunteers touching stories of having directly affected
someone's life.

Sometimes the the lack of a touching story is the greatest story of all.
“I don't know what to tell you,” said Tyler Henry, junior exercise
science major at Union College. “I pulled weeds for a few hours, nothing
too special.” Yet Henry, with feet and legs caked in mud, exhausted on a
95 degree day, was ready to do more. According to Justin Okimi,
assistant chaplain, that's what Project Impact is about, serving because
Union College is a part of a community, serving for the sake of being
servants.

This year, students and employees of the college have already done more.
For the 25th anniversary, the activities expanded from a half day to a
full day of work, adding a special urban renewal project in two of
Lincoln's poorest neighborhoods in the afternoon. Groups from Union,
joined by about 120 workers from Lincoln Action Program, painted over
graffiti, picked up litter, weeded and disposed of garbage for residents
of the Clinton and Hartley neighborhoods.

“It was amazing to see so many students stay through the afternoon,”
said Jesse Proctor, senior business administration major and
neighborhood revitalization coordinator, “They went out, finished up
projects and came back looking for more ways to help. Everyone worked
harder and longer than we could have hoped for.”

At supper time, the college provided a barbecue for volunteers and local
residents at Peter Pan Park in north central Lincoln. Later in the
evening, Jose Rojas, director of the Office of Volunteer Ministries for
the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists, urged the
students to continue building upon the experience they had during
Project Impact, and shared the role volunteers have played in his life.
Rojas had worked along side Union College volunteers during the day and
said, “I have never felt so proud of a group of students as I did today.”

For more about Project Impact, read the Lincoln Journal-Star's coverage
of the day here
(PDF).

Lincoln—The stairwells of the Everett Dick Building once again
reverberate with the sounds of reunions and students making new
acquaintances. More stations are open in Union Market and the lines are
a bit longer. Across campus, lost-looking new students get pointed in
the right directions. The energy brought by the return of students can
be felt everywhere on campus.

At Union College, school is back in session.

Besides starting classes, the day's events included an academic
convocation with a spiritual twist. Tanya Cochran, assistant professor
of English, delivered a message encouraging students to approach life
with questions rather than preconceived answers and to cultivate an
attitude of wonderment. Cochran shared her own testimony as well as
specific ways students could apply her message. Read an excerpt of her address here (PDF).

Registration will continue until Aug. 25th. The number of students
enrolled cannot be determined until that time; however, preliminary
estimates show an increase over last year.