Lisa Paine, BA in Theatre and BA in English, 2013
1) Over the course of your professional life what achievements, activities, or associations have given you much personal satisfaction?
Working in the nonprofit community in Wichita overall has been one of my greatest joys over the last two and a half years. I work full time at Legacy Ministries and am a member of the Kansas Nonprofit Chamber, and both have provided incredible experiences to effectively impact the local community. I graduated this past May with a Masters of Arts in Ministry Entrepreneurship and Innovation from Tabor College and focused my studies on nonprofit development and juvenile justice ministry. Currently, I serve as the founder and Board President of Juniper Arts Academy, a forming nonprofit that exists to provide fine arts education to teens in the juvenile justice and foster care systems. All of these different roles have given me the opportunity to grow in leadership and learn what gaps need to be filled in the Wichita area. I am a very creative and community-oriented individual, and I have found the perfect, unique fits to use the gifts God has given me.
2) What currently has grabbed your enthusiasm — your time, talent, and treasure, if you will?
Preparing for the Juniper Arts Academy launch this September! We have a fully functioning Board of Directors and committee structure compiled of both board and community members that are working hard to build appropriate curriculum, policies, and procedures, and overall organizational structure to launch well this fall. It is so inspiring and encouraging to work with passionate community members who are working to bring quality fine arts education to teens in the juvenile justice and foster care systems!
3) What advice would you now give to those currently in the college classroom or just deciding to attend Friends University?
Connect with the Friends community as much as you can! Working on campus, participating in fine arts and/or sports, joining clubs, whatever you can do to connect to the Friends community both inside and outside of the classroom will enhance your college experience! Friends changed my life through the classes I took and the people I met, and I continue to work with my former professors and classmates in the work I do today.
4) Do you have a fond or meaningful memory – or two – from your Friends University experience?
Traveling to Costa Rica with the Singing Quakers in 2015 was an incredible experience. It was my first trip out of the country and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Additionally, performing “The Rain Game (Or Baal Out)” written and directed by Dr. Charles Parker was one of the most meaningful experiences. It was a very small cast and we all had to rely heavily on each other because the script was so unique and flowing. And working with Dr. Parker was always my favorite.
Angela Loganbill, Music Performance Major, 2012
1) Over the course of your professional life what achievements, activities, or associations have given you much personal satisfaction?
For me the achievements and activities that have given me personal satisfaction have been those that I’ve shared with my students. Whether it was a goal that my students and I had for us to accomplish within the next school year or seeing them understand and achieve something on their own for the first time – that is what is rewarding and that is why I teach students. There is nothing better than helping a student find their passion, find their strength to achieve something new, or to find their voice. Being a part of the national, regional, and state organizations of the American Choral Directors Association has brought me many mentors, friends, and colleagues as well as deep moments of inspiration, encouragement, and learning. I value all levels of that organization very much and attribute much of what I know and how I do what I do to the individuals I’ve met and been able to associate with through that organization.
2) What currently has grabbed your enthusiasm — your time, talent, and treasure, if you will?
Well, my most recent endeavor was attending and completing graduate school. Seeking and completing a life-long goal of getting my Master’s degree was hard, challenging, and turned upside down by a pandemic, but completely rewarding and worth it. It gave me a renewed sense of energy and enthusiasm to go back into the classroom with my choir students and share with them what I’ve learned. And I am oh so excited to get back in the classroom to continue learning from my students again! That’s the best thing of all. As far as time, talent, and treasure – I think I can condense the use of all of those things into my life endeavor, which is to teach music, sing with others, and create community with those I teach, those I work alongside, and those I do life with everyday.
3) What advice would you now give to those currently in the college classroom or just deciding to attend Friends University?
Take advantage of all the opportunities that college presents you to go see the world. I’m not just talking about going overseas, but stepping outside of your comfort zone, your bubble, and learning about something, someone, or someplace that is different from you. This will enable you to truly learn and find what your passion is (which doesn’t necessarily have to be what you major in), and how and why you want to grow as a person and a contributing member of society. Friends is a smaller institution that allowed me to dip my toe into a variety of organizations, people groups, and classes. This helped me learn what I liked, what I didn’t like, and what I loved to do. Friends can be a safe place to take those risks and step outside your bubble. Also, get to know your professors…they’re pretty cool people, and may end up being your biggest advocates one day!
4) Do you have a fond or meaningful memory – or two – from your Friends University experience?
I had the unique privilege to get to attend two very meaningful events (and actually neither of them happened during my actual years at Friends U..lol) – Dr. Cecil Riney’s retirement celebration and the farewell celebration for Dr. Mark Bartel (both former Singing Quaker directors). Both were unique events tailored towards two different individuals, but the thing that made them similar, in my mind, was the out pouring of love, admiration, joy, and encouragement that both moments had. Both of these men left everlasting impacts on the Friends University community and on thousands of students lives. These were moments where you could clearly see in the room that all the people that were there celebrating them were doing so, not because of all the amazing music we had made (which there was a lot of!), but because of the way those men made them all feel. They left that huge impact on those people because of the way they cared, the way they nurtured, and the way they loved. I love the Maya Angelou quote that says – “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” I think this sums up the way all those people felt about both of these men. Beyond that, my time working in SGA and singing in the choirs at Friends will always be the memories I recall when I think of Friends University!