The Wheaton College Alumni Association (WCAA) was incorporated in 1944 as a separate entity from Wheaton College. Governed by a Board of Directors, the goal of the WCAA is to “unite all of the alumni of Wheaton College and Graduate School into a compact organization so that they may more effectively communicate with each other and with the College on matters of mutual interest, arrange for alumni reunions, promote alumni giving, and in other ways foster and perpetuate the enthusiasm of the alumni for the College, and their interest in their fellow alumni.”
Today, the WCAA is nearly 45,000 members strong, composed of graduates and former students who attended Wheaton for one year or more. Alumni meet for reunions on campus, connect online, travel through the WCAA’s worldwide travel program, and give financially to support faculty, students, and campus life. To this day, more than 85 percent of alumni have contributed financial gifts to the College.
“Giving to Wheaton is an investment in the lives of students who will be formed in heart, soul, mind, and strength to serve the Lord freely wherever he leads and however he has gifted them,” current Alumni Board member Dan Doebler ’94, M.A. ’00 says. “The imprint of this life-shaping Wheaton experience will shine through the lives of alumni to make a lasting impact in this world for Christ and his kingdom.”
For alumni, “The Wheaton Experience” can be defined by any number of events across the decades. Over the next two pages, we’ve gathered memories of community, fellowship, global travel, service, outreach, and socializing from Dan and other current Alumni Board members that highlight their experiences on and off campus. If you have similar fond memories, we’d love to hear from you! Please send your favorite Wheaton memories to editor@wheaton.edu.
1959
THE 1959-60 ELLIOT HALL LAUNDRY ROOM JAM SESSIONS
“The ‘’63 Quartet,’ composed of John Nelson ’63, D. Mus. ’89, Howard Whitaker ’63, Bill Morrison ’63, and Kent Hutcheson ’63, traces its origin to jam sessions in the freshman men’s Elliot residence hall laundry room. The men sang publicly for the first time at a Class of ’63 social event in 1959. After that they became a fixture at nearly all class events and quickly received many requests to perform in campus-wide gatherings, including chapel. Each of these Class of 1963 alumni developed distinguished careers: Maestro Dr. John Nelson became a world-renowned orchestral conductor and composer, Dr. Howard Whitaker became a professor in the Wheaton Conservatory of Music, Bill Morrison served as high school music teacher in Michigan, and Dr. Kent Hutcheson developed entrepreneurial approaches for serving underprivileged youth in Colorado and Asia.”
DR. GARY KEYES ’63, PHYSICS MAJOR; MASTER’S IN PHYSICS FROM NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY; DOCTORATE IN PHILOSOPHY FROM NORTHWESTERN; RETIRED PROFESSOR AND ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER
1960
FRIDAY NIGHT “OPEN HOUSE” AT THE WELSH HOME HOSTED BY CHAPLAIN EVAN WELSH '27, D.D. '55, AND HIS WIFE, OLENA MAE HENDRICKSON WELSH '41
“This was always a serendipitous but uplifting experience! The evening often included hymn singing, jokes from Chaplain Welsh, serious prayer times, informal socializing, Q&A about the Bible, and always homemade cookies and other special refreshments from Olena Mae’s kitchen. Students just showed up and we stayed as long as we wanted, under no obligation whatsoever. The Welshes were parent substitutes in a way, always giving us warm welcoming hugs!”
BARBARA RUESCHE SCOTCHMER WINTER ’60, ELEMENTARY EDUCATION MAJOR; MASTER’S IN ELEMENTARY SUPERVISION/ADMINISTRATION FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI COLUMBIA; MISSIONARY ON STAFF WITH FRONTIER MISSION FELLOWSHIP (FRONTIER VENTURES) IN PASADENA, CA
1974
OFF-CAMPUS MINISTRY
“In 1974, Professor of Communication Emeritus Dr. Em Griffin HON said, ‘I’d like to start a Young Life club at Glenbard West High School. Any interest in helping?’ A group of us said yes. That simple question began a tremendous experience in teamwork and ministry. A vibrant Young Life club at Glenbard West High School continues today, 40 years later. Off-campus ministry invigorated my Wheaton years and my life.”
LEE EAKLE PHILLIPS ’77, DOUBLE MAJOR IN CHRISTIAN EDUCATION & MINISTRY AND MUSIC; MASTER’S IN SOCIAL WORK FROM UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO; MASTER’S IN MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY FROM FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY; SOCIAL WORKER FOR ALLIANCE CLINICAL ASSOCIATES
FISCHER HALL FELLOWSHIP
“My freshman class was overloaded and a few of us were assigned to live in windowless ‘typing’ rooms in Fischer Hall. Every morning I had to knock on the door of two hallmates and with soap and towel in hand ask if I could use the bathroom in their suite. Two of those hallmates—Kurt Tillman ’78 and Steve Clausen ’78—became lifelong friends. In fact, for the last 20 years, I have continued to meet with a group of men on a weekly basis. Each of those relationships started with a humbling and embarrassing barefoot walk across the hall.”
HYTHEM SHADID ’79, MAJOR IN LIBERAL ARTS/ ENGINEERING (MECHANICAL ENGINEERING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN); DOCTOR OF MEDICINE & RESIDENCY IN ORTHOPEDICS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-CHICAGO; ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON AT GENESIS ORTHOPEDICS & SPORTS MEDICINE
1994
WHEATON THUNDER SWIMMING
“Most of my best and enduring memories of Wheaton College involve the swim team: countless hours of grueling training in the pool, stumbling our way to Anderson Commons after practice, eating together, sharing stories, and painting our faces and chests orange and blue for Saturday afternoon football games at McCully Field to help fire up the crowds. But it was far more than craziness and games. Our team performed well in and out of the pool, winning conference championships and qualifying swimmers who competed at the National Championships. We befriended swimmers from other teams, sharing our love for Christ with them and inviting them to learn more of God’s great love. We studied hard and consistently had one of the best combined team GPAs for any Division III team in the country. Every practice began with a time of Bible reading, devotions, and prayer typically led by Coach Jon Lederhouse ’74, one of our teammates, or alumni who happened to be on campus. We met for small group Bible study outside of practice, prayed with and for each other, studied Scripture together, and performed service projects on campus and in the community. Without question, some of the most influential people in my life at Wheaton were the ones I shared my life with in and around the pool.”
DAN DOEBLER ’94, M.A. ’00, ELEMENTARY EDUCATION MAJOR; MASTER’S IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY; CASE THERAPIST AT NORTHWESTERN MEDICINE CENTRAL DUPAGE HOSPITAL
2002
SEEING BONO FROM U2 AND ACTRESS ASHLEY JUDD AT WHEATON AND BEING MOVED TO JOIN THE STUDENT GLOBAL AIDS CAMPAIGN
“As a freshman, I was blown away that Bono and Ashley Judd stopped at Wheaton to get us excited about AIDS relief. That night in Edman Chapel, I was so moved that I decided to join the nationwide Student Global AIDS Campaign. For my next three years at Wheaton, this was ‘my cause.’ God opened my eyes to the world of political activism, international relief, and rallying students toward a cause.”
ESTHER LEE CRUZ ’06, MATHEMATICS AND SOCIOLOGY MAJOR; INSIGHTS & CONTENT MARKETING MANAGER AT LINKEDIN
2011
ALUMNUS AND CURRENT PARENT PERSPECTIVE
“As fond as the memories of my undergraduate years may be, Wheaton’s greatest impact upon me has come in recent years. Living near the College, sending two children to Wheaton (Steve ’11 and David ’18), and serving on the Alumni Board have brought me into frequent contact with faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, and, especially, students. Having a front-row seat to the assorted challenges, conflicts, joys, and celebrations of this intentionally Christ-centered learning community—a community of flawed, yet faithful pilgrims—has encouraged and ministered to my middle-aged faith in ways that my younger self could never have imagined.”
KURT TILLMAN ’78, SOCIAL SCIENCE MAJOR; MASTER’S IN AMERICAN HISTORY FROM NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY; PARTNER AT CEDARSTONE PARTNERS, INC.
2013
SPRING BREAK: CHINA
“Four Wheaton friends and I went to China for two weeks over spring break during our sophomore year to meet people in business, the church, and nonprofits. We spent roughly a week each in Beijing and Shanghai. This was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. The defining moment of that trip was having dinner at the home of a Chinese entrepreneur. As we arrived, we noticed that other people were coming in as well, and we found ourselves suddenly in the midst of a weekly Bible study. We sang ‘Amazing Grace’ in English our new brothers and sisters in Chinese. As the lyrics reverberated off the walls, I remember feeling overcome with the power and majesty of Jesus.”
GRANT HENSEL ’15, BUSINESS/ECONOMICS MAJOR; ANALYST AT SLALOM CONSULTING IN CHICAGO