As we move forward following a challenging year that included the parting of ways between the College and Dr. Larycia Hawkins, former associate professor of political science, President Philip G. Ryken ’88 has identified five important principles for our campus to pursue: lament, evaluation, repentance, forgiveness, and healing. 

“While we are imperfect in many ways, we ask that the Holy Spirit may sanctify and empower us, so that we may experience true spiritual unity and do our common work to the best of our God-given abilities,” President Ryken says. “This includes living out the Gospel of Jesus Christ in both word and deed, while demonstrating love and compassion to all our neighbors. This remains and will always be at the core of our identity.” 

In light of these five principles, Chaplain Rev. Tim Blackmon called a campus-wide service in February at Edman Chapel where Communion was served and both Dr. Hawkins and President Ryken shared personal reflections. The Board of Trustees has also initiated a review of the systems, processes, and decisions that led to this separation with the implementation of a Review Task Force (RTF). These 16 trustees, faculty and staff members, students, alumni, and non-alumni advisers are reviewing documentation and have interviewed many individuals who were involved in the events under review. From this review, the RTF will present a report to the President and the Board of Trustees, including both evaluation and recommendations. In addition, a committee led by Media Relations with representatives from across campus and external consultants, is working on internal and external communication strategies for the future. 

Given the essential role of prayer in any process of healing, we spoke with faculties, staffs, and students this spring and asked them to complete the following statement:

“My prayer for Wheaton is…”

Dr. Mark Amstutz, professor of political science

“That we would love one another: love our graduates, love our students, love our colleagues, love our staff; that we would model communal solidarity as we are all one in Christ; and that we would try to diminish elements that have gotten in the way of that.” 

Rose Wang M.A. ’01, assistant lecturer of Mandarin

“That we would continue to grow as a student body and as a community in the grace of God.”

Tony abiera m.a. ’16, master’s in tesol and intercultural studies

"That God will bring healing and unity to our campus and that we will learn lessons from this for the future.” 

Alisha Sneed M.A. ’16, master’s in clinical mental health counseling

“That we would be willing to be broken before each other, be honest in our relationships, and remember that God’s grace covers us. And to remember that God does not call us to be perfect, but to be honest and seek growth.”

Aseye Agamah ’16, English writing major, sociology minor

“That we as individuals and as a community would be rooted in the love that God has for us so we can exhibit that same type of love toward each other.”

Maria Hix, painter

“That we would live authentic lives for Christ.” 

Dr. Il-Hee Kim, associate professor of education

“That we would learn to trust each other and build one another up in a community of grace and love.” 

John Sampson M.A. ’17, master’s in systematic theology

“That Christ’s love would move us to love others like Christ loves us. We’ve all been adopted into His family and we are all brothers and sisters in the Lord.” 

Christian Ganza ’19, business/economics major

“Unity. By unity I mean that as we grow as people, as students, and as a body that we would stay united despite whatever happens because unity is one of the most important parts of the body.”

Dr. Pamela Davis M.A. ’02, assistant professor of counseling and clinical mental health program director

“That we would be different as a result of all that has happened.”

Bolortuya Damdinjav M.A. ’16, master’s in intercultural studies and missions

“That we would love one another, respect each other, and be kind to everyone.” 

Erin Ripley Shade ’92, director of development programs/campaign director, programs

“That as a result of this difficult time we will be stronger than ever and that Wheaton College would experience another season of true revival.” 

Tramaine Kaleebu ’18, international relations major

“For it to be a place where we truly listen to ourselves, to others, and to God, and to keep seeking the truth when we don’t hear ourselves, others, and God.” 

Matthew Adams ’17, communication (media studies) major

“For growth within our community.” 

Wanchen Villegas, international graduate admissions counselor

“That the Wheaton community would experience another spiritual revival.” 

Stina Anderson ’19, biology major

“To have strength from God to begin to move toward forgiveness, understanding, and healing broken situations and relationships.” 

Dr. Richard Schultz, Blanchard Professor of Old Testament

“That we would ‘go from strength to strength’ [Psalm 84:7, NIV] through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit and, through the grace of God, extend to one another the forgiveness that we all have experienced personally through Jesus Christ.” 

Stephen Wunrow M.A. ’17, master’s in biblical exegesis

“That we would rebuild our trust in each other and in God. I pray for this because we are supposed to love one another, and that involves a lot of trust and vulnerability. When we’ve been hurt, it’s not so easy to trust.” 

Melissa Ludzack M.A. ’17, master’s in marriage and family therapy

“That we will become a community that is like Jesus in every sense of the word: that we will be loving, forgiving, understanding, and equipped to listen. My prayer for Wheaton is that we will have joy during hard times and that we will rely on Christ in everything--not on ourselves—and that He will be our strength. Because without Jesus we cannot do anything and we are no different than anybody else. So my prayer for Wheaton is that we will be a community that reflects Jesus.” 

Jeff Peltz ’81, assistant football coach and postmaster

“To be a community where we can grow in our character with Jesus.” 

Binny Sou ’18, history major

“That God’s grace would help us recognize Wheaton’s heritage as a blessing and not a burden.” 

Maraea Mason M.A. ’17, master’s in Christian formation and ministry

“That we would be continually honest with God because he already knows our hearts...that we would say verbally, through our prayers, ‘God, we are messy, and we don’t have it all together.’ So my prayer for Wheaton is that we can be open, honest, transparent, and genuine about changing our hearts.” 

COOPER SMITH PH.D. ’18

“For a strong, lasting relationship between faculty and administration and that there may even perhaps be an opportunity for deeper relationship given their common purpose and common passions.”

Laura Wilcox Tanaka ’09, associate director of student and young alumni programs

“That we would know and love God, know and love others, and seek justice in our broken world.” 

Joshua Moreno ’16, English writing major, communication minor

“For us to learn from our mistakes, to see God’s goodness amid the hurt, and to also recognize our own biases and to learn from each other--that we can grow and truly live for Christ and his kingdom.” 

Dr. Vanya Koo, associate professor of biology

“That Wheaton would be a place of true Christlike love.”

Ari Kim ’17, biology major

“To seek to love how Christ loved.” 

Dr. Scott Moreau ’77, professor of missions and intercultural studies, associate dean of the Wheaton College Graduate School

“That we would walk together through repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation so God’s healing can take place on campus.” 

Barb Nussbaum ’88, student engagement program coordinator

“That each of us would be a light in the darkness of this world as we daily seek deeper understanding of the gospel and as we seek to live for Christ and his kingdom.” 

Ellie Roth ’18, English writing, psychology, and sociology triple major with gender studies certificate

“That we would seek God with our hearts and not just our minds.” 

Dr. Lynn Cohick, professor of New Testament

“That we fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” 

Alex Koh ’18, business/economics major

“To relearn how to repreach the gospel to each other.” 

Joseph Hur ’19, biblical and theological studies major

"To be Christlike, even though that's hard."

Sarah Roos Psy.D. ’20

“To learn to grow, to love, and to respect, and to learn to listen to the call that God gives us and the mission he has for us.”  

Dr. Hannah Stolze, assistant professor of business

“For Wheaton to continue to be a light standing in truth in the church and in the world so that what Wheaton stands for creates hope and reflects God’s love for us in the world and in the Christian community around us.” 

Steve Taylor, public safety sergeant

“For more of Christ.” 

Ann SzeliGa ’17, international relations major

“To fight apathy and the feeling that we may have something right for sure—and to be open-minded to new perspectives.” 

Wesley Braden IV ’17, business/economics major, international relations minor

“To listen more.” 

Laura Waters Psy.D. ’17

“That our hearts will be open to all people and that our hearts will be loving, forgiving, accepting, and encouraging of all people from all walks of life.” 

Charlie Goeke ’08, M.A. ’13, Vanguard program manager at HoneyRock - Outdoor Center for Leadership Development of Wheaton College

“That we can reflect the body of Christ well. If we can come together as a community of Christians in light of various things that have happened in the past several months, then we will have handled this a little differently than the world expected us to. So my prayer is that our shared love and belief in Christ would shine out.” 

Jackie Westeren ’19, international relations major

“That amid all the brokenness that has happened and all the hurt feelings, we can still come together and love God and praise God for all he has given us, and that we can pray to him and ask for forgiveness as a community together so we can start to rebuild. And I pray the relationships can start to heal whether that be this year or next year, or later on in the future. My prayer is that down the road, things would start to be better. And I hope everyone who is hurt here feels that God’s grace is with them and he will be with them no matter what happens in the future.” 

Crystal Cartwright ’08, admissions alumni liaison

“That we will demonstrate reconciliation—not just talk about it, but demonstrate it.” 

Dr. Toussaint D. Whetstone M.A. ’07, director of the Wheaton College Counseling Center

“That we could be patient with one another as we learn to love one another better.” 

Chaplain Rev. Timothy Blackmon

“That all our learning leads to loving.” 

Dr. Shawn Okpebholo, associate professor of music

“That we truly strive to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God."

WE BELIEVE that the one, holy, universal Church is the body of Christ and is composed of the communities of Christ’s people. The task of Christ’s people in this world is to be God’s redeemed community, embodying His love by worshipping God with confession, prayer, and praise; by proclaiming the gospel of God’s redemptive love through our Lord Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth by word and deed; by caring for all of God’s creation and actively seeking the good of everyone, especially the poor and needy.* 

We invite you to join withus in praying for the Wheaton College community and the fulfillment of its mission: “To serve Jesus Christ and advance His Kingdom through excellence in liberal arts and graduate programs that educate the whole person to build the church and benefit society worldwide.” If you have a prayer you would like to share, please send it to editor@wheaton.edu.

*Text excerpted from Wheaton College’s Statement of Faith and Educational Purpose. To learn more about campus responses, watch President Ryken's 2016 Alumni Weekend President's Perspective presentation at this link.