A respected teacher, author and administrator will lead a new effort to encourage scholarship at Fresno Pacific University.

Rod Janzen, education and history faculty, has been appointed FPU’s first Distinguished Scholar. The five-year post allows Janzen to split his time evenly between writing/research and teaching.

“Scholarship is the coin of the realm in higher education, and universities serve society as an educational resource,” said FPU President D. Merrill Ewert. “We want people to turn to our faculty for research-based answers to difficult questions.”

Longtime Fresno business leader Larry A. Shehadey is contributing $500,000 to a multi-million-dollar project at Fresno Pacific University, President D. Merrill Ewert announced.

“We are proud to name the dining room of our new campus center for Larry A. Shehadey,” Ewert said. “His generosity will help generations of students enjoy the benefits of Christian higher education.”

Christendom in Britain is dying--giving Christianity has a chance to be reborn.

This was the message two former missionaries brought to the Believers Church Lecture Series March 20-22 at Fresno Pacific University. Alan and Eleanor Kreider spent 26 years in England with the Anabaptist Network and the Mennonite Board of Missions. “The demise of Christendom is good news for Christianity,” Alan said

A new budget, improved off-campus facilities and other issues of growth were on the agenda for the Fresno Pacific University Board of Trustees March 7-8.

The budget for 2003-2004 was set at $27.4 million, up from $25.3 million in 2002-2003. The board also looked at ways to aid the university’s off-campus centers.

“We’re happy in these times to be able to grow and reach out to more students in more places,” said President D. Merrill Ewert. “We have the classes, the programs and the facilities to serve the Valley.”

Historical travelogue, morality tale, personal testimony—the spring play at Fresno Pacific University tells a unique story in an unusual way.

A nationally recognized author and teacher will share his insights and experiences with local school library media professionals during an event sponsored by Fresno Pacific Graduate School.

Gary Hartzell is the keynote speaker for Leadership Day, hosted by the graduate library media teacher media program, part of Fresno Pacific University. The annual event will be from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. April 4 in the Piccadilly University at Cedar and Shaw avenues.

Arthur Wiebe, former Fresno Pacific University president, received two honors recently. Fresno Compact, an association of educational, civic and business leaders, announced Wiebe will be the 2003 winner of the Harold Haak Award for Educational Excellence. The award was created in 2002 and named for Harold Haak, FPU president from 2000-02, who was also its first recipient. The presentation to Wiebe is set for March 5.

A new position at Fresno Pacific University reflects a new priority on information technology.

Norm Rempel has been appointed vice president, chief information officer and registrar. The cabinet-level position reports to president and is charged with reorganizing and coordinating computer systems across the campus. “Now we can bring together our efforts in this critical area to better serve students, faculty and staff,” said FPU President D. Merrill Ewert. “Information is what universities are about.”

Have fun with music through the years at a concert hosted by Fresno Pacific University.

“Rockin’ Round the Clock!—A Musical Journey Through Time” is the name and the theme of this year’s Unconcert. The music begins at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, January 24-25, in Sunnyside High School Performing Arts Theatre, 1019 S. Peach Ave.

John Ward began as president for business affairs at Fresno Pacific University January 1, 2003. He will work with president D. Merrill Ewert and others to set financial goals and have day-to-day responsibility for the university’s budget of over $20 million. He will also oversee several departments, including the business office, human resources, information services, auxiliary services and facilities management.